Hopa 8

1 Na ka whakautu a Pirirara Huhi, ka mea,

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:

2 Kia pehea ake te roa o tau korero i enei mea? Kia pehea ake te roa o nga kupu a tou mangai e rite ai ki te hau kaha?

How long wilt thou speak such things? How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

3 E whakaparori ke ranei te Atua i te whakawa? E whakaparori ke ranei te Kaha Rawa i te tika?

Will God pervert judgment? Or will the Almighty pervert justice?

4 Ki te mea i hara au tamariki ki a ia, a kua maka atu ratou e ia hei utu mo to ratou he;

As thy children sinned against him, He hath given them up to their transgression.

5 Ki te rapu wawe koe i to Atua, a ka inoi ki te Kaha Rawa;

But if thou wilt seek early to God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty, —

6 Ki te mea he ma koe, he tika, ina, ka ara ake ia ki a koe aianei, ka manaakitia ano e ia te nohoanga o tou tika.

If thou wilt be pure and upright, Surely he will yet arise for thee, And prosper thy righteous habitation;

7 Ahakoa i iti tou timatanga, e nui noa atu tou whakamutunga.

So that thy beginning shall be small, And thy latter end very great.

8 Tena ra, ui atu ki to mua whakatupuranga; anga atu hoki ki te mea kua rapua e o ratou matua.

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And mark what hath been searched out by their fathers;

9 Nonanahi nei hoki tatou, kahore hoki e mohio; he atarangi nei hoki o tatou ra i runga i te whenua;

(For we are of yesterday and know nothing, Since our days upon the earth are but a shadow; )

10 E kore ranei ratou e whakaako i a koe, e korero ki a koe, e puaki mai ranei he kupu i o ratou ngakau?

Will not they instruct thee, and tell thee, And utter words from their understanding?

11 E tupu ranei te wiwi i te mea kahore he repo? E nui ranei te raupo ki te kahore he wai?

“Can the paper-reed grow up without mire? Can the bulrush grow without water?

12 I te mea he kaiota tonu, a kihai i tapahia, kua maroke i mua ake i nga otaota katoa.

While it is yet in its greenness, and is not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.

13 Ka pera ano nga ara o te hunga katoa e wareware ana ki te Atua, a ka riro ki te kore ta te tangata whakaponokore i tumanako ai.

Such is the fate of all who forget God; So perisheth the hope of the ungodly.

14 Ka motuhia atu tana i whakamanawa atu ai, ko te whare hoki o te pungawerewere hei tumanakohanga mona.

His confidence shall come to nought, And his trust shall prove a spider's web.

15 Ka okioki atu ia ki tona whare; heoi e kore e tu: u tonu tana pupuri atu, otiia e kore e mau.

He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; He shall lay fast hold on it, but it shall not endure.

16 E matomato ana i te mea kahore nei te ra, a e wana ana ona peka i tana kari.

He is in full green before the sun, And his branches shoot forth over his garden;

17 Kapi tonu te puranga i ona pakiaka, e kitea ana e ia te wahi kamaka.

His roots are entwined about the heap, And he seeth the place of stones;

18 Ki te whakamotitia iho ia i tona wahi, ka whakakahore taua wahi ki a ia, ka mea, Kahore ahau i kite i a koe.

When he shall be destroyed from his place, It shall deny him, saying, 'I never saw thee.'

19 Nana, ko te hari tenei o tona ara, a ka tupu ake etahi atu i roto i te puehu.

Lo! such is the joy of his course! And others shall spring up from his place”

20 Nana, e kore te Atua e whakakahore ki te tangata tika, e kore ano e puritia e ia te ringa o nga tangata kino.

Behold, God will not cast away an upright man; Nor will he help the evil-doers.

21 Tera ano tou mangaika whakakiia e ia ki te kata, ou ngutu ki te hamama.

While he filleth thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with gladness,

22 He whakama te kakahu mo te hunga e kino ana ki a koe, a ka kahore noa iho te tapenakara o te hunga kino.

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.