< Job 21 >

1 But Job answered and said,
Ka naʻe tali ʻe Siope, ʻo ne pehē,
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
“Fakafanongo lelei ki heʻeku lea, pea ko hoʻomou fakafiemālie eni.
3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.
Mou kātaki, kau lea atu; pea hili ʻeku lea, fai pe hoʻomou manuki.
4 As for me, [is] my complaint to man? and if [it were so], why should not my spirit be troubled?
‌ʻOiauē, he ʻoku ou liunga ki he tangata? Pea ka ne ko ia, ko e hā nai ʻe ʻikai mamahi ai hoku laumālie?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay [your] hand upon [your] mouth.
Tokanga mai, pea mou ofo, pea ʻai homou nima ki homou ngutu.
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
‌ʻIo, ʻi heʻeku fakamanatu ʻoku ou manavahē ʻaupito, pea ʻoku puke ʻa hoku kakano ʻe he tetetete.
7 Why do the wicked live, become old, and, are mighty in power?
“Ko e hā ʻoku moʻui ai ʻae angakovi, ʻo hoko ʻo motuʻa, ʻio, pea lahi ʻi he mālohi?
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Kuo fakatuʻumaʻu honau hako fakataha mo kinautolu, pea mo ʻenau fānau ʻi honau ʻao.
9 Their houses [are] safe from fear, neither [is] the rod of God upon them.
‌ʻOku malu honau fale mei he manavahē, pea ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate kinautolu ʻae meʻa tā ʻae ʻOtua.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
‌ʻOku fakatauʻi ʻe heʻenau pulu tangata ʻo touʻia taʻehala; ʻoku fānau ʻenau pulu fefine ʻo taʻetōhonoʻuhiki.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
‌ʻOku nau tuku atu ʻenau fānau ʻo hangē ko e fanga sipi, pea ʻoku meʻe hopohopo ʻenau fānau.
12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
‌ʻOku nau toʻo hake ʻae kihiʻi lali mo e haʻape, pea nau fiefia ʻi he leʻo ʻoe meʻa ifi.
13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
‌ʻOku nau fakaʻosi honau ngaahi ʻaho ʻi he fakafiemālie, pea fakafokifā pe ʻoku nau ʻalu hifo ki he faʻitoka. (Sheol h7585)
14 Therefore they say to God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
Ko ia ʻoku nau pehē ai ki he ʻOtua, ‘ʻAlu ʻiate kimautolu, he ʻoku ʻikai te mau holi ke ʻilo ho ngaahi hala.
15 What [is] the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray to him?
Ko hai ʻae Māfimafi, ke pehē ke mau tauhi ia? Pea ko e hā ʻae totongi te mau maʻu, ʻo kapau te mau lotu ki ai?’
16 Lo, their good [is] not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Vakai, ʻoku ʻikai ʻi honau nima ʻenau monūʻia: ʻoku mamaʻo ʻiate au ʻae fakakaukau ʻoe angahala.
17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and [how oft] cometh their destruction upon them? [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger.
“ʻOku liunga fiha ʻae tāmateʻi ʻoe maama ʻae angahala? Mo e hoko ʻenau fakaʻauha kiate kinautolu? ʻoku tufaki ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae ngaahi mamahi ʻi hono houhau.
18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
‌ʻOku nau tatau mo e tefitoʻi kaho ʻi he mata ʻoe matangi, pea hangē ko e kafukafu ʻoku ʻave ʻe he afi.
19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know [it].
‘ʻOku hili ʻe he ʻOtua ʻa ʻene angahala ki heʻene fānau:’ ʻoku ne totongi kiate ia, pea te ne ʻilo ia.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
‌ʻE mamata ʻe hono mata ki hono fakaʻauha, pea ʻe inu ia ʻi he houhau ʻoe Māfimafi.
21 For what pleasure [hath] he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
He ko e hā ʻene fiemālie ʻi hono fale ʻamui ʻiate ia, ʻoka tuʻu ua mālie ʻae lau ʻo hono ngaahi māhina?
22 Shall [any] teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
“ʻE akonakiʻi ʻe ha taha ʻae ʻOtua ke ʻilo? He ʻoku ne fakamaau ʻe ia ʻakinautolu ʻoku māʻolunga.
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
‌ʻOku mate ha tokotaha lolotonga ʻene mālohi lahi, mo ʻene nofo tofu pe mo fiemālie.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
‌ʻOku fonu hono sino ʻi he ngako, pea lolololo hono ngaahi hui ʻi he uho.
25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
Pea ʻoku mate ha tokotaha ʻi he mamahi lahi ʻo hono laumālie, pea ʻikai ʻaupito haʻane kai ʻe fiemālie ai.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
Te na tokoto tatau pe ʻi he efu, pea ʻe ʻuʻufi ʻakinaua ʻe he fanga kelemutu.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices [which] ye wrongfully imagine against me.
“Vakai, ʻoku ou ʻilo hoʻomou ngaahi mahalo, mo e ngaahi filioʻi kovi ʻoku mou mahalo ʻaki kiate au.
28 For ye say, Where [is] the house of the prince? and where [are] the dwelling places of the wicked?
He ʻoku mou pehē, ‘Kofaʻā ʻae fale ʻoe ʻeiki? Pea kofaʻā ʻae ngaahi nofoʻanga ʻoe kakai angahala?’
29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
‌ʻIkai kuo mou ʻeke kiate kinautolu ʻoku feʻaluʻaki ʻi he hala? Pea ʻikai ʻoku mou ʻilo ʻenau ngaahi tala,
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they will be brought forth to the day of wrath.
‌ʻAia kuo tuku tolonga ʻae angahala ki he ʻaho ʻoe fakaʻauha? ʻE taki atu ʻakinautolu ki he ʻaho ʻoe houhau.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him [what] he hath done?
Ko hai te ne fakahā hono hala ki hono mata? Pea ʻe totongi ʻe hai kiate ia ʻae meʻa kuo ne fai?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
Ka ʻe ʻomi ia ki he faʻitoka, ʻe nofomaʻu ia ʻi he fonualoto.
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him, and every man will draw after him, as [there are] innumerable before him.
‌ʻE melie kiate ia ʻae ngaahi tutuʻanga kelekele ʻoe luo, pea ʻe fusi kiate ia ʻae kakai kotoa pē, ʻo hangē ko e taʻefaʻalaua ʻae kakai naʻe muʻa ʻiate ia.
34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
Pea ka kuo pehē, pea ko e hā ʻoku mou fakafiemālie taʻeʻaonga kiate au, kae vakai ʻoku ai ʻae loi ʻi hoʻomou ngaahi lea?”

< Job 21 >