Hopa 15
1 Na ka whakautua e Eripata Temani; i mea ia,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 He horihori kau koia te matauranga e whakapuakina e te tangata whakaaro, kia whakakiia e ia tona kopu ki te hau marangai?
“Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
3 Me korero ranei ia ko nga kupu kore hua hei ako, ko nga whaikorero ranei kahore nei e whai tikanga?
He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
4 Ae, kua whakakorea atu na e koe te wehi, kei te pupuri mai koe i te inoi i te aroaro o te Atua.
But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
5 Na kei te whakaakona tou mangai e tou kino, a kei te whiriwhiria e koe ko te arero o te hunga tinihanga.
It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
6 Ehara i ahau, na tou mangai ano i hopu tou kino; ko ou ngutu ano hei whakaatu i tou he.
Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
7 Ko koe ianei te tangata tuatahi kua whanau? He mea hanga ranei koe no mua atu i nga pukepuke?
Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
8 Kua rongo ranei koe i to te Atua whakaaro puku? Kei te kaiponu ranei koe i te whakaaro ki a koe anake?
Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
9 Ko te aha te mohiotia ana e koe, a kahore e mohiotia e matou? Ko tehea whakaaro ano hoki ou kahore nei i a matou?
What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
10 Kei a matou nga upoko hina ratou tahi ko nga tino koroheke, kaumatua rawa ake i tou papa.
We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
11 He iti rawa ranei mou nga whakamarie a te Atua, te kupu ngawari e hoatu ana ki a koe?
Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
12 He aha koe i kahakina atu ai e tou ngakau? He aha hoki ou kanohi i kimokimo ai,
Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
13 I tahuri ai tou wairua ki te whakahe i te Atua? i puaki ai ena kupu i tou mangai?
Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
14 He aha te tangata, e ma ai ia? te whanau ranei a te wahine, e tika ai?
Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
15 Nana, kahore ia e whakawhirinaki ki ana mea tapu; kahore hoki nga rangi e ma ki tana titiro.
Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
16 Katahi ia te he rawa ko te mea whakarihariha, ko te mea poke, ko te tangata e inu nei i te kino ano he wai.
How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
17 Maku e whakaatu ki a koe, whakarongo mai ki ahau; ko te mea kua kitea e ahau, maku e korero atu.
If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
18 He mea korero mai na nga mohio, he whakarerenga iho na o ratou matua: kihai hoki i huna e ratou:
This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
19 Ki a ratou nei anake te homaitanga o te whenua; kihai hoki te tangata ke i tika i waenganui i a ratou.
those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
20 E whakamamae ana te tangata kino i ona ra katoa, ara i te maha o nga tau e haupu nei mo te kaitukino.
The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
21 He reo whakawehi kei roto i ona taringa; i te wa whai rawa ka tae mai te kaipahua ki a ia:
Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
22 Kahore ana whakaaetanga ake tera ia ka hoki ake i te pouri, e whanga ana ano hoki te hoari ki a ia.
They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
23 E kopikopiko noa ana ia ki te taro mana, e mea ana: Kei hea ra? E mohio ana ia kua tata ki tona ringa te ra o te pouri.
They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
24 Ko te ngakau mamae, me te tumatatenga, hei whakawehi i a ia; ka kaha ake raua i a ia, me te mea he kingi kua rite ana mea mo te whawhai.
Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
25 Kua totoro nei ona ringa ki te whawhai ki te Atua, kua whakatoatoa nei i a ia ki te whawhai ki te Kaha Rawa;
They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
26 Kua rere ki a ia me te kaki maro, me nga puku matotoru o ana whakangungu rakau.
insolently attacking him with their shields.
27 Kua kopakina hoki tona mata e tona ngako, a kua tupu te ngako o tona hope.
They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
28 Na i noho ia ki nga pa mahue, ki nga whare kahore i nohoia e te tangata, meake nei waiho hei puranga.
But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
29 E kore ia e whai taonga, e kore ano ona rawa e mau, e kore ano hoki to ratou hua e taupe ki te whenua.
They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
30 E kore ia e puta i te pouri, ona peka ka maroke i te mura, ka riro atu ano ia i te manawa o tona mangai.
They will not escape from the darkness. Like a tree whose shoots are burned up in a forest fire, the breath of God will blow him away.
31 Kei whakawhirinaki ia ki te mea teka noa, kei tinihanga ki a ia ano: no te mea ko te teka noa hei utu ki a ia.
They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
32 E kore tona ra e taea, kua rite; e kore ano tona peka e whai rau.
This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
33 Ka ruiruia e ia ana karepe kaiota ano ko te waina, a ka maka tana puawai me te mea ko te oriwa.
like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
34 Ka pakoko hoki te whakaminenga o te hunga atuakore, ka pau hoki i te ahi nga teneti o nga utu whakapati.
For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
35 He mahi nanakia te mea i hapu ki roto ki a ratou, whanau ake he teka noa; ko o ratou kopu ano hei hanga i te tinihanga.
They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
