Siope 31

1 “Naʻa ku fai ʻae fuakava mo hoku mata; pea ka kuo pehē, ko e hā te u siofia ai ha taʻahine?

I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin.

2 He ko e hā ʻae ʻinasi mei he ʻOtua ʻi ʻolunga? Pea mo e tufakanga mei he Māfimafi ʻi ʻolunga?

For what portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep?

3 ‌ʻIkai ʻoku ʻi he kau angahala ʻae malaʻia? Mo e fakaʻauha foʻou ki he kau fai kovi?

Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice?

4 ‌ʻIkai ʻoku ne ʻiloʻi hoku ngaahi hala, pea lau ʻeku ngaahi laka kotoa pē?

Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps?

5 “He kapau naʻaku ʻalu ʻi he loi, pea kapau teu veʻe vave ki he kākā;

If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness,

6 Tuku ke fakamamafa au ʻi he meʻa fakatatau totonu, koeʻuhi ke ʻilo ʻe he ʻOtua ʻa ʻeku angatonu.

let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7 He kapau naʻaku laka hē mei he hala, pea muimui hoku loto ki hoku mata, pe piki ha ʻuli ki hoku nima;

If my steps have turned aside from the way, or if my heart has followed my eyes, or if a blemish has clung to my hands,

8 Tuku ai ke u tūtuuʻi kae kai ʻe ha taha kehe; ʻio, ke taʻaki fuʻu hake ʻa hoku taʻu.

then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated.

9 “Kapau naʻe kākaaʻi ʻa hoku loto ʻe ha fefine, pe te u toitoi ʻi he matapā ʻo hoku kaungāʻapi;

If my heart has been deceived over a woman, or if I have waited in ambush at my friend’s door,

10 Pea tuku ke momosi ʻa hoku uaifi mo ha taha, pea mapelu ki ai ha niʻihi kehe.

then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her.

11 He ko e hia matea ia, ʻio, ko e angahala ke tautea ʻe he kau fakamaau.

For this is a crime and a very great injustice.

12 He ko e afi ia ʻoku ne kai ʻo aʻu ki he fakaʻauha, pea ʻe ʻosiʻosingamālie ai ʻeku koloa.

It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth.

13 “Kapau naʻaku lumaʻi ʻae meʻa ʻa ʻeku tamaioʻeiki pe ko ʻeku kaunanga, ʻi he ʻena fai mo au.

If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me,

14 Ko e hā ai te u fai ʻoka tuʻu hake ʻae ʻOtua? Pea ʻoka ʻaʻahi ʻe ia, ko e hā te u tali ʻaki ia?

then what will I do when God rises to judge, and, when he inquires, how will I respond to him?

15 He ʻikai naʻe ngaohi ia ʻe ia naʻa ne ngaohi au ʻi he manāva? Pea ʻikai naʻe fakatupu ʻakimaua ʻosi pe ʻi he manāva ʻe he tokotaha?

Is not he who created me in the womb, also he who labored to make him? And did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 “Kapau ne u taʻofi ʻae masiva mei heʻenau holi, pe fai ke vaivai ʻae mata ʻoe fefine kuo mate hono husepāniti;

If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait;

17 Pea kuo u kai vale haʻaku meʻa siʻi, ʻo ʻikai te ma kai ia mo e tamai mate;

if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it;

18 (He ʻoku talu ʻeku lahi hake mo ʻene ʻiate au, ʻo hangē ko haʻane tamai, pea talu ʻeku haʻu mei he manāva ʻo ʻeku faʻē mo ʻeku fakahinohino ia; )

(for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother’s womb; )

19 Kapau kuo u mamata ki ha taha ʻoku mate koeʻuhi ko e telefua, pe ha masiva taʻehakofu;

if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering,

20 Kapau naʻe ʻikai tāpuaki au ʻe hono noʻotanga vala, pea ʻikai māfana ia ʻi he fulufulu ʻo ʻeku fanga sipi;

if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 Kapau kuo u hiki hoku nima ki he tamai mate, ʻi heʻeku ʻilo ʻoku ou mālohi ʻi he matapā:

if I have lifted up my hand over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate;

22 ‌ʻOfa ke homo hoku uma mei hoku hui fohe, pea fesiʻi hoku nima ʻi he hokotanga hui.

then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken.

23 He ko e fakaʻauha mei he ʻOtua ko e meʻa fakailifia kiate au, pea ko e meʻa ʻi heʻene ngeia naʻe ʻikai te u faʻa kātakiʻi.

For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear.

24 “He kapau naʻaku ʻamanaki ki he koula, pe te u pehē ki he koula lelei, ‘Ko hoku falalaʻanga koe;’

If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold ‘my Trust;’

25 Kapau naʻaku fiefia ʻi he tupu ʻo lahi ʻeku koloa, pea koeʻuhi kuo maʻu lahi ʻe hoku nima;

if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained;

26 Kapau naʻaku siofia ʻae laʻā ʻi heʻene ulo, pe ko e māhina ʻoku hāʻele ʻi he ngingila;

if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly,

27 Pea kuo fasiaʻi fufū pe hoku loto, pe ʻuma hoku ngutu ki hoku nima:

so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth,

28 Ko e angahala foki ia ke fakamaauʻi he ka ne pehē, ko ʻeku liʻaki ia ʻae ʻOtua ʻoku ʻi ʻolunga.

which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God;

29 He kapau naʻaku fiefia ʻi he ʻauha ʻo ia naʻe fehiʻa kiate au, pe te u angahiki ki ai ʻoka moʻua ia ʻe he kovi:

if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him,

30 Ka naʻe ʻikai te u tuku ke angahala ai ʻa hoku ngutu, ʻi he fakaʻamu ke tō ha malaʻia ki hono laumālie.

for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul;

31 ‌ʻIkai ʻoku faʻa pehē ʻe heʻeku kau nofoʻanga, Naʻe holi ʻe hai ki haʻane meʻakai pea ʻikai mākona ai?

if the men around my tabernacle have not said: “He might give us some of his food, so that we will be filled,”

32 Naʻe ʻikai mohe ʻae muli ʻi he hala: ka ne u fakaava hoku matapā ke talia ʻae fononga.

for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler;

33 He naʻaku fufū koā ʻeku angahala ʻo hangē ko ʻAtama, ʻo fakalilolilo ʻeku hia ʻi hoku fatafata?

if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom;

34 Pea te u manavahē ki he fuʻu tokolahi? Pe fakailifiaʻi au ʻe he manuki ʻae ngaahi fānau, ke u longo ai, ʻo taʻehū atu ʻi he matapā?

if I became frightened by an excessive crowd, and the disrespect of close relatives alarmed me, so that I would much rather have remained silent or have gone out the door;

35 Taumaiā kuo ʻi ai ha tokotaha ʻe fie fanongo kiate au! Vakai, ko hoku loto ke talia au ʻe he Māfimafi, pea ke fai ha tohi ʻe hoku fili.

then, would he grant me a hearing, so that the Almighty would listen to my desire, and he who judges would himself write a book,

36 Ko e moʻoni te u hili ia ki hoku uma, ʻo nonoʻo ia kiate au ʻo hangē ha pale.

which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown?

37 Te u ʻaʻau atu kiate ia ʻae lau ʻo ʻeku ngaahi laka; te u ʻalu atu ʻo hangē ha ʻeiki ke ofi kiate ia.

With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince.

38 He kapau kuo tangi ʻe hoku fonua kiate au, pe lāunga ʻa hono ngaahi keliʻanga;

So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it,

39 Pea kapau kuo u kai taʻetotongi ʻa hono ngaahi fua, pe te u fakamamahiʻi ʻae laumālie ʻokinautolu naʻe tauhi ki ai:

if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers,

40 ‌ʻOfa ke tupu ai ʻae talatalaʻāmoa ko e fetongi ʻoe uite, mo e ʻakau taʻeʻaonga ko e fetongi ʻoe paʻale.” Kuo ngata ʻae fakamatala ʻa Siope.

then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.)