Hopa 7

1 He teka ranei kua takoto he pakanga mo te tangata i runga i te whenua, he rite ano ona ra ki nga ra o te kaimahi?

The life of a man on the earth is a battle, and his days are like the days of a hired hand.

2 E rite ana ki te pononga, e matenui nei ki te atarangi, ki te kaimahi, e tumanako nei ki te utu mo tana mahi;

Just as a servant desires the shade, and just as the hired hand looks forward to the end of his work,

3 Koia toku rite, ka whiwhi nei ki nga marama horihori, a he mauiui nga po kua whakaritea moku.

so also have I had empty months and have counted my burdensome nights.

4 Ka takoto ahau, ka mea ahau, A hea ahau ara ai? he roa ia te po; heoi ka tahurihuri kau ahau a ao noa.

If I lie down to sleep, I will say, “When will I rise?” And next I will hope for the evening and will be filled with sorrows even until darkness.

5 Ko te kakahu mo oku kikokiko he kutukutu, he pokuru oneone; ka kukuti toku kiri, a ka ngatata ano.

My flesh is clothed with particles of rottenness and filth; my skin is dried up and tightened.

6 Ko oku ra hohoro atu i te rakau a te kaiwhatu; pau ake, te ai he tumanakohanga atu.

My days have passed by more quickly than threads are cut by a weaver, and they have been consumed without any hope.

7 Kia mahara he hau oku ra; heoi ano kitenga o toku kanohi i te pai.

Remember that my life is wind, and my eye will not return to see good things.

8 Ko te kanohi o te tangata e kite ana i ahau, heoi ano tona tirohanga mai ki ahau: kei runga i ahau ou kanohi, heoi kahore iho ahau.

Neither will the sight of man gaze upon me; your eyes are upon me, and I will not endure.

9 Memeha atu te kapua, ngaro atu: he pera ano te tangata e haere ana ki te urupa; e kore e hoki ake. (Sheol h7585)

Just as a cloud is consumed and passes away, so he who descends to hell will not ascend. (Sheol h7585)

10 E kore ia e hoki mai ano ki tona whare, e kore ano tona wahi e mahara ki a ia i muri.

He will not return again to his house, nor will his own place know him any longer.

11 Na e kore e kaiponuhia e ahau toku mangai; ka korero ahau i toku wairua e mamae nei; ka tangi i te kawa i toku ngakau.

And because of this, I will not restrain my mouth. I will speak in the affliction of my spirit. I will converse from the bitterness of my soul.

12 He moana ranei ahau, he tohora, i mea ai koe i te kaitirotiro moku

Am I an ocean or a whale, that you have encircled me in a prison?

13 Ki te mea ahau, kei toku moenga ahau te marie ai, ma toku takotoranga e whakamama taku tangi;

If I say, “My bed will comfort me, and I will find rest, speaking with myself on my blanket,”

14 Na ka whakahaehaetia ahau e koe ki nga moe, ka whakawehia ahau ki nga mea e whakakitea mai.

then you will frighten me with dreams, and strike dread through visions,

15 A ki ta toku wairua he pai te tarona; pai ake te mate i enei wheua oku.

so that, because of these things, my soul would choose hanging, and my bones, death.

16 E whakarihariha ana ahau ki toku ora; kahore oku hiahia kia ora tonu ahau: waiho noa iho ahau, he mea teka noa hoki oku ra.

I despair; by no means will I live any longer. Spare me, for my days are nothing.

17 He aha te tangata, i whakanuia ai e koe? i anga ai tou ngakau ki a ia?

What is man, that you should praise him? Or why do you place your heart near him?

18 I titiro ai koe i a ia i tenei ata, i tenei ata, i honohono ai tau whakamatautau i a ia?

You visit him at dawn, and you test him unexpectedly.

19 Kia pehea ake te roa ou kahore nei e tahuri atu i ahau, oku kahore nei e waiho noa iho e koe, kia horomia ai toku huware?

How long will you not spare me, nor release me to ingest my saliva?

20 Mehemea kua hara ahau, kia aha atu ahau ki a koe, e te kaitiaki o nga tangata? he aha ahau i waiho ai e koe hei patunga mau i taimaha iho ai ahau ki ahau ano.

I have sinned; what should I do for you, O keeper of men? Why have you set me against you, so that I have become burdensome even to myself?

21 He aha koe te whakarere noa ai i toku he, te whakapahemo ai i toku kino? Akuanei hoki ahau moe ai ki te puehu, a ka ata rapu koe i ahau, otiia kahore noa iho ahau.

Why do you not steal away my sin, and why do you not sweep away my iniquity? Behold, now I will sleep in the dust, and if you seek me in the morning, I will not remain.