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 these things? and [how long] shall the words of thy mouth be [like] a mighty wind?

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

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth 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;

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have delivered them into the hand of their transgression:

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

If thou wouldest seek diligently unto 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 wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

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

And though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

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 apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:

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

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are 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?

Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

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

Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

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

Whilst it is yet in its greenness, [and] 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.

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the godless man shall perish:

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

Whose confidence shall break in sunder, and whose trust is 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, but it shall not stand: he shall hold fast thereby, 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 green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.

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

His roots are wrapped about the heap, he beholdeth 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.

If he be destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, [saying], I have not seen thee.

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

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others spring.

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 a perfect man, neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

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

He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.

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 tent of the wicked shall be no more.