< Job 8 >

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
Pea naʻe toki tali ʻe Pilitati mei Suaa, ʻo ne pehē,
2 “How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
‌ʻE fēfē hono fuoloa ʻo hoʻo lea pehē pe? Pea tatau mo e matangi mālohi ʻae ngaahi lea ʻa ho ngutu?
3 Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
He ʻoku fakahala ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae fakamaau? Pe fakahalaʻi ʻe he Māfimafi ʻae angatonu?
4 If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
Kapau kuo angahala ʻa hoʻo fānau kiate ia, pea kuo ne liʻaki ʻakinautolu ko e meʻa ʻi heʻenau fai hala;
5 If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
Kapau te ke kumi vave ki he ʻOtua, pea fai hoʻo faʻa hū tāumaʻu ki he Māfimafi;
6 If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
Kapau kuo ke maʻa mo angatonu ko e moʻoni ʻe ʻā hake ia maʻau, pea te ne ngaohi ke monūʻia ʻae nofoʻanga ʻo hoʻo māʻoniʻoni.
7 Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
Neongo ʻae siʻi ʻa ho kamataʻanga, ka ʻe fakalahi ʻaupito ho ikuʻanga.
8 “Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
“Ko eni, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke fehuʻi ki he kuonga ʻi muʻa, pea ke teuʻi koe ke ke ʻeke ki heʻenau ngaahi tamai:
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
(He ʻoku ʻoe ʻaneafi pe ʻakinautolu, pea taʻeʻilo ha meʻa, koeʻuhi ʻoku tatau hotau ngaahi ʻaho ʻi māmani mo e ʻata: )
10 Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
‌ʻIkai ʻe akonakiʻi koe ʻekinautolu, ʻo tala kiate koe, pea hua ʻaki mai ʻae ngaahi lea mei honau loto?
11 “Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
“ʻE faʻa tupu ʻae mohuku ʻoe anovai ka ʻi he kelepulu pe? ʻE faʻa tupu ʻae kaho ka ʻi he vai pe?
12 While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
He ʻoku lolotonga ʻene kei mata, ʻo ʻikai tā, ʻoku tomuʻa mae ia ʻi he ʻakau kotoa pē.
13 So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,
‌ʻOku pehē pe ʻae ʻaluʻanga ʻokinautolu ʻoku fakangaloʻi ʻae ʻOtua; pea ko e ʻamanaki ʻae mālualoi ʻe ʻauha ia:
14 whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.
Ko ʻene ʻamanaki ʻe tuʻusi ia, pea ko ʻene falalaʻanga ko e matamata kupenga ʻoe hina.
15 He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.
‌ʻE faʻaki ia ki hono fale, ka ʻe ʻikai tuʻu ia: ʻe puke maʻu ʻe ia ki ai, ka ʻe ʻikai te ne tolonga.”
16 He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.
‌ʻOku maʻuiʻui ia ʻi he mata ʻoe laʻā, pea tupu hono vaʻa ʻi heʻene ngoue.
17 His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
Ko hono ngaahi aka ʻoku fefihifihitaki ʻi he tafungofunga, ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻae potu makamaka.
18 If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
Kapau te ne fakaʻauha ia mei hono potu, pea ʻe toki fakafisi ia, ʻo pehē, ‘naʻe ʻikai te u mamata kiate koe.’
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring.
Vakai, ko e fiefia eni ʻa hono hala, pea ʻe toe tupu ʻae niʻihi mei he kelekele.
20 “Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
“Vakai, ʻe ʻikai siʻaki ʻe he ʻOtua ha taha haohaoa, pea ʻe ʻikai tokoniʻi ʻe ia ʻae kau fai kovi:
21 He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
Kaeʻoua ke ne fakapito ho ngutu ʻi he kata, mo ho loungutu ʻi he fiefia.
22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”
Ko kinautolu ʻoku fehiʻa kiate koe ʻe fakakofuʻaki ʻae mā; pea ʻe fakaʻauha ʻae nofoʻanga ʻoe angahala.”

< Job 8 >