Hopa 22
1 Ano ra ko Eripata Temani; i mea ia,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said,
2 E whai pai ano ranei te Atua i te tangata? He pono e whai pai te tangata i a ia ano ki te mea he ngakau mohio tona.
“How can anyone be of help to God? Even wise people are only helpful to themselves.
3 He oranga ngakau ranei ki te Kaha Rawa tou tika? Hei taonga ranei ki a ia, ki te meinga e koe ou ara kia tino tika?
Is it any benefit to the Almighty if you're a good person? What does he gain if you do what's right?
4 He wehi ranei nou i a ia i whakahe ai ia i a koe, i whakawa ai i a koe?
Does he correct you and bring charges against you because of your reverence?
5 He teka ianei he nui tou he? Kahore hoki he pito whakamutunga o ou kino.
No: it's because you're so wicked! Your sins are never-ending!
6 I tangohia noatia hoki e koe nga mea a tou teina hei taunaha, huia ana e koe nga kakahu o te hunga e noho tahanga ana.
For no reason at all you took your brother's clothing as a security for a debt, and left them stripped naked.
7 Kihai i whakainumia e koe ki te wai te hunga ngenge; kaiponuhia ana e koe he taro ki te hunga e matekai ana.
You refused water to the thirsty; you denied food to the hungry.
8 Ko te tangata marohirohi, i a ia te whenua; ko te tangata honore, noho ana ia i reira.
Is it because the land belongs to the powerful, and only the privileged have a right to live there?
9 Ko nga pouaru, unga rawakoretia atu ana e koe, whatiwhatiia ana nga ringa o nga pani.
You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
10 Na reira karapotia putia ana koe e nga mahanga, raruraru ana koe i te wehi pa whakarere;
That's why you're surrounded by traps to catch you, and why you suddenly panic in terror.
11 I te pouri ranei, e kore ai koe e kite; a nui atu te wai e taupoki na i a koe.
That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.
12 He teka ianei kei te wahi tiketike o te rangi te Atua? Tirohia atu ano hoki a runga o nga whetu, to ratou teitei!
Doesn't God live in highest heaven and looks down on even the highest stars?
13 A e mea na koe, He aha ta te Atua e mohio ai? E puta mai ranei tana whakawa i roto i te kapua pouri?
But you ask, ‘What does God know? How can he see and judge what happens in down here in darkness?
14 Ko tona wahi ngaro ko nga kapua matotoru, te kite ia; kei te taiawhio ano ia i nga rangi.
Thick clouds cover him so he can't see anything as he walks around in heaven.’
15 Ka mau tonu ranei koe ki te ara o mua, i haerea ra e nga tangata kikino?
Why do you insist on following the traditional thinking of the wicked?
16 I kapohia atu nei i te mea kahore ano i rite o ratou ra; tahoroa ana to ratou turanga ano he awa:
They were taken before their time; all they had built was washed away.
17 I mea nei ki te Atua, Mawehe atu i a matou; a, He aha e taea e te Kaha Rawa mo matou?
They had told God, ‘Get lost! What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Heoi i whakakiia e ia o ratou whare ki nga mea papai: ko te whakaaro ia o te hunga kino e matara atu ana i ahau.
And yet he was the one who had filled their homes with good things—but I don't accept their way of thinking.
19 E kite ana te hunga tika, a koa ana: kataina iho ratou e te hunga harakore:
Those who do right rejoice when they see the destruction of the wicked, and the innocent mock them,
20 Me te ki, He pono kua haukotia te hunga i tahuri mai ki a tatou, pau ake i te ahi te toenga o ratou.
saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’
21 Waiho ia hei hoa mou, katahi koe ka ata noho; ma reira ka tae mai ai te pai ki a koe.
Come back to God and be reconciled to him, and you'll be prosperous again.
22 Tahuri mai ra ki te ture a tona mangai, rongoatia hoki ana kupu ki roto ki tou ngakau.
Listen to what he tells you and keep his words in mind.
23 Ki te hoki koe ki te Kaha Rawa, tera koe e hanga; ki te nekehia atu e koe te kino kia mamao i ou teneti.
If you return to God you will be restored. If you renounce your sinful life
24 A ka whakapuranga koe i tau taonga ki te puehu, te koura o Opira ki waenga i nga kohatu o nga awa;
and give up your love of money and desire for possessions,
25 A ko te Kaha Rawa hei taonga mou, hei hiriwa utu nui ki a koe.
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
26 Ko reira hoki koe ahuareka ai ki te Kaha Rawa, a ka ara ake tou mata ki te Atua.
Then you will find delight in the Almighty, and be able to face him without feeling ashamed.
27 Ka inoi ano koe ki a ia, a ka whakarongo mai ia ki a koe; ka whakamana ano e koe au kupu taurangi.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
28 Ka whakatakotoria hoki e koe he tikanga, a ka whakapumautia ki a koe; ka whiti ano te marama ki runga ki ou ara.
Whatever you decide to do will be successful, and wherever you go, light will shine on you.
29 Ki te maka koe e ratou ki raro, ka ki koe, Tenei ano he whakaarahanga ake; ka whakaorangia ano e ia te ngakau whakaiti.
When others are humbled, and you say, ‘please help them,’ God will save them.
30 Ka whakaorangia e ia te tangata ahakoa ehara i te harakore: ae ra, ka whakaorangia ia e te ma o ou ringa.
God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
