Siope 11

1 Pea naʻe toki tali ʻe Sofaa mei Neama, ʻo ne pehē,

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 “ʻIkai ʻoku totonu ke tali ʻae ngaahi lea lahi ni? Pea ʻe fakatonuhiaʻi koe ʻae tangata faʻa lau?

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

3 ‌ʻE fakalongoʻi ʻae kakai ʻe hoʻo ngaahi loi? Pea ʻi hoʻo manuki, ʻe ʻikai fakamā koe ʻe ha taha?

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

4 He kuo ke pehē, ‘Ko ʻeku akonaki ʻoku totonu pē, pea ʻoku ou maʻa ʻi ho ʻao.’

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

5 Kae taumaiā ke folofola mai ʻae ʻOtua, ʻo ne faʻai hono fofonga kiate koe;

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

6 Pea ne fakahā kiate koe ʻae ngaahi meʻa lilo ʻoe poto, he ʻoku lahi hake ʻaupito ia ʻi he meʻa ʻoku hā mai! Ko ia ke ke ʻilo, ʻoku siʻi ʻae totongi ʻoku ʻeke ʻe he ʻOtua ʻi he meʻa ʻoku taau mo hoʻo angahia.

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

7 “He te ke ʻilo ʻae ʻOtua ʻi he faʻa ʻeke? He te ke faʻa kumi ke ʻilo haohaoa ʻae Māfimafi?

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

8 ‌ʻOku māʻolunga ia ʻo hangē ko e langi; ko e hā ʻaʻau te ke fai? ʻOku māʻulalo hifo ʻi heli; te ke faʻa ʻilo ʻae hā? (Sheol h7585)

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? (Sheol h7585)

9 Ko hono fuofua ʻoku lōloa lahi ʻi he māmani, pea lau lahi ia ʻi he tahi.

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

10 Kapau ʻe tuʻusi ʻe ia, pe tāpuni ke maʻu, pe tānaki fakataha, ʻe taʻofi ia ʻe hai?

If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

11 He ʻoku ne ʻiloʻi ʻae kakai vale: ʻoku ne vakai foki ki he fai kovi; pea ʻe ʻikai te ne tokangaʻi?

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

12 He ʻoku fie poto ʻae tangata vale, neongo ʻoku fanauʻi ʻae tangata ʻo hangē ko e ʻuhiki ʻoe ʻasi kai vao.

For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild donkey’s colt.

13 “Kapau te ke teu ho loto, pea mafao atu ho nima kiate ia;

If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

14 Kapau ʻoku ʻi ho nima ʻae angahala, siʻaki ia ke mamaʻo, pea ʻoua naʻa nofo ʻae kovi ʻi ho ngaahi fale.

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

15 He ko ia te ke toki hanga hake ai ho mata ʻo taʻehanoʻila; ʻio, te ke tuʻumaʻu, ʻo ʻikai manavahē:

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16 He te ke fakangaloʻi hoʻo mamahi, ʻo manatuʻi ia ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi vai kuo tafe atu:

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

17 Pea ʻe ʻāsinisini lahi hoʻo motuʻa ʻi he hoʻatāmālie ʻoe ʻaho; te ke ulo atu, te ke tatau mo e pongipongi.

And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

18 Pea te ke fiemālie koe, he ʻoku ai ʻae ʻamanaki lelei; ʻio, te ke keli, ʻo mālōlō fiemālie pe.

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

19 Pea te ke tokoto foki, pea ʻe ʻikai fakamanavahēʻi koe ʻe ha taha; ʻio, ʻe kumi meʻa meiate koe ʻe he tokolahi.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

20 Ka ʻe vaivai ʻae mata ʻoe angahala, pea ʻe ʻikai te nau hao, pea ko e ifi ʻoe mānava ʻa ʻenau ʻamanaki.”

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.