Waiata 12

1 Ki te tino kaiwhakatangi. Heminiti. He himene na Rawiri. Whakaorangia, e Ihowa; ka mutu hoki nga tangata tapu; ka taweke atu te hunga pono i roto i nga tama a te tangata.

For the chief musician; set to the Sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Yahweh, for the godly have disappeared; the faithful have vanished.

2 E korero teka ana ratou tetahi ki tetahi; he ngutu patipati, he ngakau rua o ratou ina korero.

Everyone says empty words to his neighbor; everyone speaks with flattering lips and a double heart.

3 Ka hatepea e Ihowa nga ngutu patipati katoa, me te arero e korero whakapehapeha ana;

Yahweh, cut off all flattering lips, every tongue declaring great things.

4 E mea nei, Ma o tatou arero tatou ka kake ai; no tatou ano o tatou ngutu, ko wai hei ariki mo tatou?

These are those who have said, “With our tongues will we prevail. When our lips speak, who can be master over us?”

5 Mo te tukinotanga i te hunga iti, mo te aue a te hunga rawakore, ka whakatika ahau aianei, e ai ta Ihowa, Ka whakanohoia ia e ahau ki te wahi e ora ai ia i nga tangata e whakatupereru ana ki a ia.

“Because of violence against the poor, because of the groans of the needy, I will arise,” says Yahweh. “I will provide the safety for which they long.”

6 He kupu parakore nga kupu a Ihowa: he hiriwa i whakakorea nei te para i roto i te oumu whenua, he mea tuku whitu.

The words of Yahweh are pure words, like silver purified in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

7 Ka tiakina ratou e koe, e Ihowa, ka whakaorangia ratou i tenei whakatupuranga ake tonu atu.

You are Yahweh! You keep them. You preserve the godly people from this wicked generation and forever.

8 E haereere noa ana nga tangata kino i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha, i te mea e whakateiteitia ana te kino i roto i nga tama a te tangata.

The wicked walk on every side when evil is exalted among the children of mankind.