Hopa 7

1 He teka ranei kua takoto he pakanga mo te tangata i runga i te whenua, he rite ano ona ra ki nga ra o te kaimahi?

“Isn’t a man forced to labour on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?

2 E rite ana ki te pononga, e matenui nei ki te atarangi, ki te kaimahi, e tumanako nei ki te utu mo tana mahi;

As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,

3 Koia toku rite, ka whiwhi nei ki nga marama horihori, a he mauiui nga po kua whakaritea moku.

so I am made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

4 Ka takoto ahau, ka mea ahau, A hea ahau ara ai? he roa ia te po; heoi ka tahurihuri kau ahau a ao noa.

When I lie down, I say, ‘When will I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

5 Ko te kakahu mo oku kikokiko he kutukutu, he pokuru oneone; ka kukuti toku kiri, a ka ngatata ano.

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.

6 Ko oku ra hohoro atu i te rakau a te kaiwhatu; pau ake, te ai he tumanakohanga atu.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

7 Kia mahara he hau oku ra; heoi ano kitenga o toku kanohi i te pai.

Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye will no more see good.

8 Ko te kanohi o te tangata e kite ana i ahau, heoi ano tona tirohanga mai ki ahau: kei runga i ahau ou kanohi, heoi kahore iho ahau.

The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.

9 Memeha atu te kapua, ngaro atu: he pera ano te tangata e haere ana ki te urupa; e kore e hoki ake. (Sheol h7585)

As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. (Sheol h7585)

10 E kore ia e hoki mai ano ki tona whare, e kore ano tona wahi e mahara ki a ia i muri.

He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more.

11 Na e kore e kaiponuhia e ahau toku mangai; ka korero ahau i toku wairua e mamae nei; ka tangi i te kawa i toku ngakau.

“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12 He moana ranei ahau, he tohora, i mea ai koe i te kaitirotiro moku

Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?

13 Ki te mea ahau, kei toku moenga ahau te marie ai, ma toku takotoranga e whakamama taku tangi;

When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me. My couch will ease my complaint,’

14 Na ka whakahaehaetia ahau e koe ki nga moe, ka whakawehia ahau ki nga mea e whakakitea mai.

then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,

15 A ki ta toku wairua he pai te tarona; pai ake te mate i enei wheua oku.

so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.

16 E whakarihariha ana ahau ki toku ora; kahore oku hiahia kia ora tonu ahau: waiho noa iho ahau, he mea teka noa hoki oku ra.

I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

17 He aha te tangata, i whakanuia ai e koe? i anga ai tou ngakau ki a ia?

What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,

18 I titiro ai koe i a ia i tenei ata, i tenei ata, i honohono ai tau whakamatautau i a ia?

that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

19 Kia pehea ake te roa ou kahore nei e tahuri atu i ahau, oku kahore nei e waiho noa iho e koe, kia horomia ai toku huware?

How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

20 Mehemea kua hara ahau, kia aha atu ahau ki a koe, e te kaitiaki o nga tangata? he aha ahau i waiho ai e koe hei patunga mau i taimaha iho ai ahau ki ahau ano.

If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?

21 He aha koe te whakarere noa ai i toku he, te whakapahemo ai i toku kino? Akuanei hoki ahau moe ai ki te puehu, a ka ata rapu koe i ahau, otiia kahore noa iho ahau.

Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now will I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”