Siope 20

1 Pea naʻe toki pehēange ʻe Sofaa mei Neama, ʻo ne pehē,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 “Ko e moʻoni ʻoku langaʻi au ʻe heʻeku ngaahi mahalo ke u tali, ko ia ʻoku ou fakatoʻotoʻo ai.

I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.

3 Kuo u fanongo ki he tautea ʻo ʻeku manuki, pea ko e laumālie ʻo ʻeku ʻilo ʻoku langaʻi au ke u tali.

I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

4 ‌ʻIkai te ke ʻilo eni mei muʻa, talu hono tuku ʻoe tangata ʻi māmani,

Hast you [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?

5 Koeʻuhi ʻoku fuonounou ʻae nekeneka ʻoe angahala, pea ko e fiefia ʻae mālualoi ʻoku ʻi he kemo pe taha?

But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:

6 Neongo ʻae aʻu hake ki he langi ʻa hono ongolelei, pea ʻasi hake hono ʻulu ki he ngaahi ʻao;

although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.

7 Ka ʻe ʻauha ia ʻo taʻengata ʻo hangē pe ko ʻene meʻa kovi ʻaʻana: ko kinautolu naʻe mamata ki ai te nau pehē, ‘Kofaʻā ia?’

For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?

8 ‌ʻE puna atu ia ʻo hangē ha misi, pea ʻe ʻikai ʻilo ia: ʻio, ʻe tuli atu ia ʻo hangē ko ha meʻa ʻoku hā mai ʻi he pō.

Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.

9 Ko e mata foki naʻe mamata ki ai ʻe ʻikai toe mamata ai; pea ʻe ʻikai toe ʻilo ia ʻe hono potu.

The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.

10 ‌ʻE kumi ʻe heʻene fānau ke fakafiemālieʻi ʻae masiva, pea ʻe toe ʻatu ʻe hono nima ʻenau ngaahi meʻa.

Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.

11 ‌ʻOku fonu hono ngaahi hui [ʻi he angahala ]ʻo ʻene kei siʻi, pea ʻe takoto mo ia ʻi he efu.

His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 “Neongo ʻoku melie ʻi hono ngutu ʻae fai kovi, pea ne fufū ia ʻi hono lalo ʻelelo:

Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;

13 Neongo ʻene mamae ki ai, ʻo ʻikai liʻaki; kae maʻu pe ʻi hono loto ngutu:

though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:

14 ‌ʻE liliu ʻene meʻakai ʻi hono kete, ʻe hoko ia ko e ʻahu ʻoe fanga ngata fekai ʻi loto ʻiate ia.

yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.

15 Kuo ne folo hifo ʻae koloa, ka te ne toe lua ʻaki hake ia: ʻe lī ia ʻe he ʻOtua mei hono kete.

[His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.

16 ‌ʻE mimisi ʻe ia ʻae kona ʻoe fanga ngata fekai: ʻe teʻia ia ʻe he ʻelelo ʻoe ngata fekai.

And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue kill him.

17 ‌ʻE ʻikai mamata ia ki he ngaahi vai, ko e ngaahi vai lahi, mo e ngaahi vaitafe ʻoe meʻa huʻamelie mo e pota.

Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.

18 ‌ʻE toe ʻatu ʻe ia ʻae fua ʻo ʻene ngāue, pea ʻe ʻikai folo hifo: pea ʻe ʻikai fiefia ia ʻi he lahi fau ʻo ʻene koloa.

He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he can’t swallow.

19 Koeʻuhi kuo ne taʻomia mo liʻaki ʻae masiva; kuo ne toʻo fakamālohi ʻae fale naʻe ʻikai ke ne langa;

For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.

20 “Ko e moʻoni ʻe ʻikai te ne ongoʻi ʻae fiemālie ʻi hono loto, ʻe ʻikai te ne faʻa maʻu ʻaia kuo ne holi ki ai.

There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.

21 ‌ʻE ʻikai toe ʻene meʻa kai; ko ia ʻe ʻikai ʻamanaki ʻe ha taha ki haʻane meʻa.

There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.

22 ‌ʻI he lahi ʻo ʻene maʻumeʻa ʻe masiva ai ia; ʻe hoko kiate ia ʻae nima ʻoe angakovi kotoa pē.

But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.

23 ‌ʻI heʻene teu ke fakapito hono kete, ʻe lī kiate ia ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae mālohi ʻo hono houhau, pea fakaʻauha ia kiate ia lolotonga ʻene kai.

If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.

24 ‌ʻE puna ia mei he meʻa tau ukamea, ka ʻe fanaʻi ia ke ʻasi ʻe he kaufana ukamea.

And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.

25 ‌ʻE unuhi ia, pea ʻasi ʻi hono sino; ʻio, ʻoku haʻu mei hono ʻahu ʻae heletā ngingila, ʻoku ʻiate ia ʻae ngaahi ilifia.

And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.

26 Ko e ngaahi fakapoʻuli kotoa pē kuo fufū ʻi hono ngaahi potu fakalilolilo: ʻe fakaʻauha ia ʻe he afi taʻetapili; ʻe hoko ʻae kovi kiate ia ʻoku toe ʻi hono ʻapi.

And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

27 ‌ʻE fakahā ʻe he langi ʻa ʻene fai kovi, pea ʻe tuʻu hake ki ai ʻae fonua.

And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.

28 Ko e koloa ʻo hono fale ʻe mole, pea tafe atu ʻi he ʻaho ʻo hono houhau.

Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.

29 Ko e ʻinasi eni ʻoe tangata angahala mei he ʻOtua, mo e tufakanga kuo tuʻutuʻuni maʻana ʻe he ʻOtua.”

This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].