Siope 8

1 Pea naʻe toki tali ʻe Pilitati mei Suaa, ʻo ne pehē,

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

2 ‌ʻE fēfē hono fuoloa ʻo hoʻo lea pehē pe? Pea tatau mo e matangi mālohi ʻae ngaahi lea ʻa ho ngutu?

How long will you speak these things? and how long shall the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?

3 He ʻoku fakahala ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae fakamaau? Pe fakahalaʻi ʻe he Māfimafi ʻae angatonu?

Does God pervert judgment? or does the Almighty pervert justice?

4 Kapau kuo angahala ʻa hoʻo fānau kiate ia, pea kuo ne liʻaki ʻakinautolu ko e meʻa ʻi heʻenau fai hala;

If your children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

5 Kapau te ke kumi vave ki he ʻOtua, pea fai hoʻo faʻa hū tāumaʻu ki he Māfimafi;

If you would seek to God betimes, and make your supplication to the Almighty;

6 Kapau kuo ke maʻa mo angatonu ko e moʻoni ʻe ʻā hake ia maʻau, pea te ne ngaohi ke monūʻia ʻae nofoʻanga ʻo hoʻo māʻoniʻoni.

If you were pure and upright; surely now he would awake for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.

7 Neongo ʻae siʻi ʻa ho kamataʻanga, ka ʻe fakalahi ʻaupito ho ikuʻanga.

Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end should greatly increase.

8 “Ko eni, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke fehuʻi ki he kuonga ʻi muʻa, pea ke teuʻi koe ke ke ʻeke ki heʻenau ngaahi tamai:

For inquire, I pray you, of the former age, and prepare yourself to the search of their fathers:

9 (He ʻoku ʻoe ʻaneafi pe ʻakinautolu, pea taʻeʻilo ha meʻa, koeʻuhi ʻoku tatau hotau ngaahi ʻaho ʻi māmani mo e ʻata: )

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow: )

10 ‌ʻIkai ʻe akonakiʻi koe ʻekinautolu, ʻo tala kiate koe, pea hua ʻaki mai ʻae ngaahi lea mei honau loto?

Shall not they teach you, and tell you, and utter words out of their heart?

11 “ʻE faʻa tupu ʻae mohuku ʻoe anovai ka ʻi he kelepulu pe? ʻE faʻa tupu ʻae kaho ka ʻi he vai pe?

Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

12 He ʻoku lolotonga ʻene kei mata, ʻo ʻikai tā, ʻoku tomuʻa mae ia ʻi he ʻakau kotoa pē.

Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it wither before any other herb.

13 ‌ʻOku pehē pe ʻae ʻaluʻanga ʻokinautolu ʻoku fakangaloʻi ʻae ʻOtua; pea ko e ʻamanaki ʻae mālualoi ʻe ʻauha ia:

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:

14 Ko ʻene ʻamanaki ʻe tuʻusi ia, pea ko ʻene falalaʻanga ko e matamata kupenga ʻoe hina.

Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.

15 ‌ʻE faʻaki ia ki hono fale, ka ʻe ʻikai tuʻu ia: ʻe puke maʻu ʻe ia ki ai, ka ʻe ʻikai te ne tolonga.”

He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

16 ‌ʻOku maʻuiʻui ia ʻi he mata ʻoe laʻā, pea tupu hono vaʻa ʻi heʻene ngoue.

He is green before the sun, and his branch shoots forth in his garden.

17 Ko hono ngaahi aka ʻoku fefihifihitaki ʻi he tafungofunga, ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻae potu makamaka.

His roots are wrapped about the heap, and sees the place of stones.

18 Kapau te ne fakaʻauha ia mei hono potu, pea ʻe toki fakafisi ia, ʻo pehē, ‘naʻe ʻikai te u mamata kiate koe.’

If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen you.

19 Vakai, ko e fiefia eni ʻa hono hala, pea ʻe toe tupu ʻae niʻihi mei he kelekele.

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

20 “Vakai, ʻe ʻikai siʻaki ʻe he ʻOtua ha taha haohaoa, pea ʻe ʻikai tokoniʻi ʻe ia ʻae kau fai kovi:

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

21 Kaeʻoua ke ne fakapito ho ngutu ʻi he kata, mo ho loungutu ʻi he fiefia.

Till he fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing.

22 Ko kinautolu ʻoku fehiʻa kiate koe ʻe fakakofuʻaki ʻae mā; pea ʻe fakaʻauha ʻae nofoʻanga ʻoe angahala.”

They that hate you shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nothing.