Siope 4

1 Pea toki leaange ai ʻa Elifasi mei Timani, ʻo ne pehē,

Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —

2 “Kapau te mau ʻahiʻahi ke lea kiate koe, te ke ʻita ai? Ka ko hai te ne faʻa taʻofi ia ʻe ia mei he lea?

If one attempt a word unto thee, wilt thou be impatient? But, to restrain speech, who, can endure?

3 Vakai, kuo ke akonekina ʻae tokolahi, pea kuo ke fakamālohiʻi ʻae nima vaivai.

Lo! thou hast admonished many, and, slack hands, hast thou been wont to uphold:

4 Naʻe poupou hake ʻe hoʻo ngaahi lea ʻaia naʻe meimei hinga, pea kuo ke fakamālohiʻi ʻae foʻi tui vaivai.

Him that was stumbling, have thy words raised up, and, sinking knees, hast thou strengthened.

5 Ka ko eni kuo hoko ia kiate koe, pea ke vaivai; ʻoku ala ia kiate koe, pea ʻoku ke puputuʻu.

But, now, it cometh upon thee, and thou despairest, It smiteth even thee, and thou art dismayed.

6 He kofaʻā eni hoʻo manavahē, hoʻo falala, hoʻo ʻamanaki lelei, mo e angatonu ʻa ho ngaahi hala?

Is not, thy reverence, thy confidence? And is not, thy hope, the very integrity of thy ways?

7 “ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke fakamanatu, ko hai ha taʻeangahala naʻe ʻauha? Pea ko e potu fē naʻe motuhi ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni?

Remember, I pray thee, who, being innocent, hath perished, or when, the upright, have been cut off.

8 ‌ʻIo, ʻo hangē pe ko ia kuo u mamata ki ai, ko kinautolu ʻoku keli ʻae angahala, mo tūtuuʻi ʻae fai kovi, ʻoku nau utu pe ia.

So far as I have seen, They who plow for iniquity and sow misery, reap the same:

9 ‌ʻI he ifi ʻae ʻOtua ʻoku nau ʻauha, pea ko e mānava ʻo hono fofonga ʻoku nau ʻosiʻosingamālie ai.

By the blast of GOD, they perish, And, by the breath of his nostrils, are they consumed:

10 ‌ʻOku [fakangata ]ʻae ngungulu ʻoe laione, mo e leʻo ʻoe laione fekai, pea ʻoku mafesifesi ʻae kau nifo ʻoe fanga laione mui.

[Notwithstanding] the roaring of the lion, and the noise of the howling lion, yet, the teeth of the fierce lions, are broken:

11 ‌ʻOku ʻauha ʻae motuʻa laione ko e masiva meʻa kai, pea ko e fānganga ʻoe laione mālohi kuo fakahēʻi mamaʻo.

The strong lion perishing for lack of prey, Even the whelps of the lioness, are scattered.

12 “Ko eni, naʻe ai ha meʻa naʻe ʻomi fufū kiate au, pea naʻe ongoʻi ʻe hoku telinga ʻae fafana ʻo ia.

But, unto me, something was brought by stealth, —and mine ear caught a whispering of the same:

13 ‌ʻI he ngaahi mahalo mei he ngaahi meʻa hā mai ʻoe pō, ʻoka tō ʻae mohe maʻu ki he kakai,

When there were thoughts, from visions of the night, —When deep sleep falleth upon men,

14 Naʻe hoko mai kiate au ʻae manavahē, mo e tetetete, ʻaia naʻe fakangalulu ai hoku ngaahi hui kotoa pē.

Dread, came upon me, and trembling, The multitude of my bones, it put in dread:

15 Pea naʻe toki māʻali ai ʻae laumālie ʻi hoku ʻao; pea naʻe vavana hake ʻae fulufulu ʻo hoku sino:

Then, a spirit, over my face, floated along, The hair of my flesh bristled-up:

16 Naʻe tuʻu mai ia, ka naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo hono anga: naʻe ʻi hoku ʻao ʻae fakatātā, naʻe longo pe, pea ne u ongoʻi ʻae leʻo, naʻe pehē,

It stood still, but I could not distinguish its appearance, I looked, but there was no form before mine eyes, —A whispering voice, I heard: —

17 “ʻE faʻa angatonu lahi hake ʻae tangata ki hono ʻOtua? ʻE māʻoniʻoni lahi hake ʻae tangata ki hono Tupuʻanga?

Shall, mortal man, be more just than GOD? Or a man be more pure than, his Maker?

18 Vakai, ʻoku ʻikai te ne falala ki heʻene kau tamaioʻeiki, pea ko ʻene kau ʻāngelo ʻoku ʻikai ke ne fakamālō ki ai.

Lo! in his own servants, he trusteth not, and, his own messengers, he chargeth with error:

19 Kae huanoa ʻakinautolu ʻoku nofo ʻi he ngaahi fale ʻumea, ko honau tuʻunga ʻoku ʻi he efu, pea ʻoku taʻomia ʻakinautolu ʻo hangē pe ko e ane?

How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:

20 ‌ʻOku tā hifo ʻakinautolu mei he pongipongi ʻo aʻu ki he efiafi: ʻoku nau ʻauha ʻo taʻetuku, ka ʻoku ʻikai tokanga ki ai ha taha.

Betwixt morning and evening, are they broken in pieces, With none to save, they utterly perish:

21 Pea ʻikai ʻoku mole atu ʻae lelei kotoa pē ʻoku ʻiate kinautolu? ʻOku nau mate, ʻio, ʻi he taʻehapoto.’

Is not their tent-rope within them, torn away? They die, disrobed of wisdom!