Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

Pea naʻe tali ʻe Siope, ʻo ne pehē,

2 No doubt but ye [are] the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

Ta ko kimoutolu pe ʻae kakai, pea ʻe mate mo kimoutolu ʻae poto.

3 But I have understanding as well as you; I [am] not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

Ka ʻoku ai hoku loto ʻo hangē pe ko kimoutolu; ʻoku ʻikai te u siʻi hifo au kiate kimoutolu: ʻio, ko hai ʻoku ʻikai ke ne ʻilo ki he ngaahi meʻa pehē ni?

4 I am [as] one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright [man is] laughed to scorn.

‌ʻOku ou tatau mo ha taha ʻoku taukaea ʻe hono kaungāʻapi, ʻo pehē, ʻoku ne ui ki he ʻOtua, pea ʻoku ne talia ia: ʻoku kata manukia ʻae tonuhia mo e angatonu.

5 He that is ready to slip with [his] feet [is as] a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

‌ʻO hangē ko e maama kuo fakatukutukuʻi, ʻoku pehē ʻaia ʻoku meimei hekea hono vaʻe ʻi he mahalo ʻo ia ʻoku fiemālie.

6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly].

‌ʻOku monūʻia ʻae ngaahi fale ʻoe kau kaihaʻa, pea ʻoku nofo fiemālie pē ʻakinautolu ʻoku fakahouhau ki he ʻOtua; ʻoku ʻatu lahi ʻe he ʻOtua ki honau nima.

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

“Kae fehuʻi eni ki he fanga manu, pea te nau akoʻi koe; mo e fanga manu ʻoe ʻatā, pea te nau tala kiate koe:

8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Pea lea ki he fonua, pea te ne akoʻi koe: pea ʻe fakahā kiate koe ʻe he ngaahi ika ʻoe tahi.

9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

Ko hai ʻoku ʻikai te ne ʻilo ʻi he meʻa ni kotoa pē, ko e nima ʻo Sihova kuo ne fai eni?

10 In whose hand [is] the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

‌ʻAia ʻoku ʻi hono nima ʻae moʻui ʻae meʻa moʻui fulipē, mo e mānava ʻoe kakai kotoa pē.

11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

‌ʻIkai ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻe he telinga ʻae ngaahi lea? Pea kamata ʻe he ngutu hono kai?

12 With the ancient [is] wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

Pea ʻoku ʻiate ia ʻoku talu mei muʻa ʻae poto; pea ko e ʻilo ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho lahi.

13 With him [is] wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

“ʻOku ʻiate ia ʻae poto mo e mālohi, ʻoku ʻiate ia ʻae fakakaukau mo e ʻilo.

14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

Vakai, ʻoku ne holoki hifo, pea ʻe ʻikai faʻa toe fokotuʻu ia: ʻoku ne tāpuni ki he tangata, pea ʻoku ʻikai ke faʻa matoʻo.

15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

Vakai, ʻoku ne taʻofi ki he ngaahi vai, pea matuʻu ia: ʻoku ne fekau atu foki ia, pea ʻoku fulihi ʻe ia ʻae fonua.

16 With him [is] strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver [are] his.

‌ʻOku ʻiate ia ʻae mālohi mo e poto, ʻoku ʻoʻona ʻae kākāʻia mo ia ʻoku kākā.

17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

‌ʻOku ne taki pōpula ʻae kau fakakaukau, pea ne fakavaleʻi ʻae kau fakamaau.

18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

Ko e haʻi ʻoe ngaahi tuʻi kuo ne vete, ka ne haʻihaʻi honau noʻotanga vala ʻaki ʻae haʻi.

19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

‌ʻOku ne taki pōpula ʻae ngaahi houʻeiki, pea ʻoku ne lī ki lalo ʻae mālohi.

20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

‌ʻOku ne toʻo atu ʻae lea ʻae kau poto, pea toʻo mo e ʻilo ʻae mātuʻa.

21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

‌ʻOku ne lilingi ʻae manukia ki he ngaahi houʻeiki, pea ne vete ʻae noʻo ʻoe mālohi.

22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

‌ʻOku ne fakahā ʻae ngaahi meʻa lilo mei he fakapoʻuli, pea ne ʻomi ki he maama ʻae ʻata ʻoe mate.

23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them [again].

‌ʻOku ne fakatokolahi ʻakinautolu ʻoku ne fakalahi ʻae ngaahi puleʻanga, pea toe fakasiʻisiʻi ia.

24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness [where there is] no way.

‌ʻOku ne toʻo ʻo ʻave ʻae loto ʻoe ngaahi ʻeiki ʻoe kakai ʻo māmani, ʻo ne pule ke nau ʻalu fano ʻi ha toafa taʻehahala.

25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like [a] drunken [man].

‌ʻOku nau tautaufā ʻi he poʻuli taʻehamaama, pea ʻoku ne pule ke nau fehēaki fano ʻo hangē ha konā.