Siope 4

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

Then spake Eliphaz the Temanite, 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 one attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?

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

Behold, thou hast admonished many; Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;

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

Thy words have upheld him that was falling, And thou hast given strength to feeble knees.

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

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art confounded!

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

Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?

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 have the righteous been cut off?

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.

According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity, And sow mischief, reap the same.

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

By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of his nostrils they are consumed.

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 fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

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

A word was once secretly brought to me, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.

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

Amid thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men,

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

A fear and a horror came upon me, Which made all my bones to shake.

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

Then a spirit passed before my face, The hair of my flesh rose on end;

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 its form I could not discern; An image was before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:

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

“Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall 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, he putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And his angels he chargeth with frailty.

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?

What then are they who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten!

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.

Between morning and evening are they destroyed; They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.

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

The excellency that is in them is torn away; They die before they have become wise.”