Job 23

1 Then Job answered by saying:

Pea naʻe toki tali ʻe Siope, ʻo ne pehē,

2 Now again my conversation is in bitterness, and the force of my scourging weighs more heavily on me because of my mourning.

“ʻOku kona ʻaupito ʻa ʻeku mamahi, ʻio, ʻi he ʻaho ni: pea mamafa lahi hoku tā ʻi heʻeku faʻa toʻe.

3 Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and that I may approach even to his throne?

Taumaiā ke u ʻilo ʻae potu te u maʻu ai ia! Ke u aʻu atu ki hono nofoʻanga!

4 I would place judgment before his eye, and my mouth would fill with criticism,

Te u fakamatala ʻeku meʻa ʻi hono ʻao, ʻo fakafonu hoku ngutu ʻaki ʻae ngaahi lea fakamamafa.

5 so that I may know the words that he will answer me and understand what he will say to me.

Te u ʻilo ai ʻae ngaahi lea te ne tali ʻaki au, pea u faʻa ʻilo ʻaia te ne lea ʻaki mai kiate au.

6 I do not want him to contend with me with much strength, nor to overwhelm me with the bulk of his greatness.

He te ne fai mo au ʻaki hono mālohi lahi? ʻIkai: ka te ne ʻai ʻae mālohi kiate au.

7 Let him show fairness in response to me, and let my judgment reach to victory.

‌ʻE faʻa alea ai mo ia ʻae māʻoniʻoni; pea ʻe fakamoʻui taʻengata ai au mei hoku fakamaau.

8 If I go to the east, he does not appear; if I go to the west, I will not understand him.

“Vakai, ʻoku ou ʻalu atu, ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻi ai ia; pea ʻoku ou foki mai, kae ʻikai te u ʻiloʻi ia:

9 If I turn to the left, what can I do? I will not take hold of him. If I turn myself to the right, I will not see him.

Ki he toʻohema, ʻoku ne ngāue ai, kae ʻikai te u sio ki ai: pea ʻoku ne fufū ia ʻi he toʻomataʻu, ke ʻoua naʻaku ʻilo ia:

10 Truly, he knows my way and has tested me like gold that passes through fire.

Ka ʻoku ne ʻilo ʻae hala ʻoku ou ʻalu ai: pea ka ʻosi ʻene ʻahiʻahiʻi au, te u hao mai ʻo hangē ko e koula.

11 My feet have been following his footsteps; I have kept to his way and have not strayed from it.

Kuo puke maʻu ʻe hoku vaʻe ki hono lakaʻanga, pea kuo u ʻalu ʻi hono hala, ʻo ʻikai afe.

12 I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews.

Pea naʻe ʻikai te u foki mai mei he fekau ʻa hono fofonga: kuo u fufū ʻi hoku loto ʻae ngaahi lea ʻa hono fofonga.

13 For he is alone, and no one is able to disturb his intention; and whatever his spirit wills, that he accomplishes.

Ka ʻoku pehē ai pe ia pea ko hai te ne liliu ia? Pea ko ia ʻoku tokanga ki ai hono finangalo, ʻe fai pē ʻe ia.

14 And when he fulfills his will in me, many other similar ones will also be present with him.

He te ne fakakakato hoku ʻinasi kuo tuʻutuʻuni: pea ʻoku lahi ʻae meʻa pehē ʻiate ia.

15 And, for this reason, I have been troubled at his presence, and, when I consider him, I am approached by fear.

Ko ia ʻoku ou manavahē ai ʻi hono ʻao: pea kau ka fakakaukau, ʻoku ou ilifia kiate ia.

16 God has weakened my heart, and the Almighty has confused me.

He ʻoku fakamolū hoku loto ʻe he ʻOtua, pea ʻoku fakamamahiʻi au ʻe he Māfimafi:

17 Yet I have not perished because of the threatening darkness, nor has gloom covered my face.

Koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai tuʻusi au ʻi he teʻeki hoko ʻae fakapoʻuli, ʻo ʻikai ʻufiʻufi ʻe ia ʻae poʻuli mei hoku mata.