Siope 4

1 Pea toki leaange ai ʻa Elifasi mei Timani, ʻo ne pehē,

Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,

2 “Kapau te mau ʻahiʻahi ke lea kiate koe, te ke ʻita ai? Ka ko hai te ne faʻa taʻofi ia ʻe ia mei he lea?

If we essay to address a word to thee, wilt thou be wearied? yet who is able to refrain from speaking?

3 Vakai, kuo ke akonekina ʻae tokolahi, pea kuo ke fakamālohiʻi ʻae nima vaivai.

Behold, thou hast [ere this] corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen.

4 Naʻe poupou hake ʻe hoʻo ngaahi lea ʻaia naʻe meimei hinga, pea kuo ke fakamālohiʻi ʻae foʻi tui vaivai.

Him that stumbled thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor.

5 Ka ko eni kuo hoko ia kiate koe, pea ke vaivai; ʻoku ala ia kiate koe, pea ʻoku ke puputuʻu.

Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied: it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified.

6 He kofaʻā eni hoʻo manavahē, hoʻo falala, hoʻo ʻamanaki lelei, mo e angatonu ʻa ho ngaahi hala?

Is not then thy fear of God still thy confidence, thy hope equal to the integrity of thy ways?

7 “ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke fakamanatu, ko hai ha taʻeangahala naʻe ʻauha? Pea ko e potu fē naʻe motuhi ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni?

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous destroyed?

8 ‌ʻIo, ʻo hangē pe ko ia kuo u mamata ki ai, ko kinautolu ʻoku keli ʻae angahala, mo tūtuuʻi ʻae fai kovi, ʻoku nau utu pe ia.

Even as I have seen, that those who plough wrong-doing, and sow trouble, have to reap the same.

9 ‌ʻI he ifi ʻae ʻOtua ʻoku nau ʻauha, pea ko e mānava ʻo hono fofonga ʻoku nau ʻosiʻosingamālie ai.

Before the breathing of God they perish, and before the breath of his nostrils they come to their end.

10 ‌ʻOku [fakangata ]ʻae ngungulu ʻoe laione, mo e leʻo ʻoe laione fekai, pea ʻoku mafesifesi ʻae kau nifo ʻoe fanga laione mui.

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

11 ‌ʻOku ʻauha ʻae motuʻa laione ko e masiva meʻa kai, pea ko e fānganga ʻoe laione mālohi kuo fakahēʻi mamaʻo.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.

12 “Ko eni, naʻe ai ha meʻa naʻe ʻomi fufū kiate au, pea naʻe ongoʻi ʻe hoku telinga ʻae fafana ʻo ia.

But to me a word came by stealth, and my ear took in a scarcely perceptible whisper thereof.

13 ‌ʻI he ngaahi mahalo mei he ngaahi meʻa hā mai ʻoe pō, ʻoka tō ʻae mohe maʻu ki he kakai,

In intense thoughts out of visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:

14 Naʻe hoko mai kiate au ʻae manavahē, mo e tetetete, ʻaia naʻe fakangalulu ai hoku ngaahi hui kotoa pē.

Dread came over me, with trembling, and it caused all my bones to shudder.

15 Pea naʻe toki māʻali ai ʻae laumālie ʻi hoku ʻao; pea naʻe vavana hake ʻae fulufulu ʻo hoku sino:

Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body stood up:

16 Naʻe tuʻu mai ia, ka naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo hono anga: naʻe ʻi hoku ʻao ʻae fakatātā, naʻe longo pe, pea ne u ongoʻi ʻae leʻo, naʻe pehē,

It stood still, but I could not recognize its form; a figure was before my eyes, a slight whisper, then a [louder] voice I heard, saying,

17 “ʻE faʻa angatonu lahi hake ʻae tangata ki hono ʻOtua? ʻE māʻoniʻoni lahi hake ʻae tangata ki hono Tupuʻanga?

Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can a man be more pure than his Maker?

18 Vakai, ʻoku ʻikai te ne falala ki heʻene kau tamaioʻeiki, pea ko ʻene kau ʻāngelo ʻoku ʻikai ke ne fakamālō ki ai.

Behold, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:

19 Kae huanoa ʻakinautolu ʻoku nofo ʻi he ngaahi fale ʻumea, ko honau tuʻunga ʻoku ʻi he efu, pea ʻoku taʻomia ʻakinautolu ʻo hangē pe ko e ane?

How much less in those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed till they come to be eaten by the moth?

20 ‌ʻOku tā hifo ʻakinautolu mei he pongipongi ʻo aʻu ki he efiafi: ʻoku nau ʻauha ʻo taʻetuku, ka ʻoku ʻikai tokanga ki ai ha taha.

From morning to evening are they broken to pieces: without laying it [to heart] they perish for ever.

21 Pea ʻikai ʻoku mole atu ʻae lelei kotoa pē ʻoku ʻiate kinautolu? ʻOku nau mate, ʻio, ʻi he taʻehapoto.’

Behold, their excellency which is in them is torn away: they die, and this without wisdom.