Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

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

2 How long wilt thou speak these [things]? and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind?

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

3 Doth God pervert judgment; or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

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

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

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

5 If thou wouldst seek to God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

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

6 If thou [wert] pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

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.

7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

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

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

“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:

9 (For we [are but of] yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth [are] a shadow: )

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

10 Will they not teach thee, [and] tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

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

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

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

12 Whilst it [is] yet in its greenness, [and] not cut down, it withereth before any [other] herb.

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

13 So [are] the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

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

14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust [shall be] a spider's web.

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

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

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

16 He [is] green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

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

17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, [and] seeth the place of stones.

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

18 If he shall destroy him from his place, then [it] shall deny him, [saying], I have not seen thee.

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

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

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

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

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

21 Till he shall fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

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

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to naught.

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