1 ¶ Then Zophar, the Naamathite, answered and said,

Ano ra ko Topara Naamati; i mea ia,

2 S hould not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified?

Kaua ranei hei whakautua te tini o nga kupu? A e whakatikaia ranei te tangata ngutu hohoro?

3 S hould thy lies make men be silent? Shalt thou mock, and shall no man make thee ashamed?

Ma au kupu whakapehapeha ranei e nohopuku ai nga tangata? A, ina tawai koe, kaua ranei he tangata e mea i a koe kia whakama?

4 F or thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean before thine eyes.

E mea ana hoki koe, He tino tika taku whakaako, a he ma ahau ki ou kanohi.

5 B ut oh, that God would speak and open his lips against thee

Aue, me i korero te Atua, me i puaki mai ona ngutu ki te whakahe i a koe!

6 a nd that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For thou dost deserve double according to sound wisdom; and thou dost know that God has forgotten thee because of thine iniquity.

Me i whakaaturia mai e ia ki a koe nga mea ngaro o te matauranga, te huhua o nga ara o tana mahi! Na kia matau koe, he iti iho i ou he ta te Atua e tango nei i a koe.

7 ¶ Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou come unto the perfection of the Almighty?

Ina whakatakina e koe, e kitea ranei e koe te Atua? E tino kitea rawatia ranei e koe te Kaha Rawa?

8 I t is higher than the heavens; what canst thou do? It is deeper than Sheol; how canst thou know it?

Kei te rangi te tiketike; ka pehea koe? Hohonu iho i te reinga; ko te aha e mohiotia e koe?

9 T he measure of it is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

Ko tona takoto, roa atu i te whenua, whanui atu i te moana.

10 I f he cuts off, or shuts up, or gathers together, then who can hinder him?

Ki te mea ka haukotia e ia, ka herehera ranei, ka whakawakia ranei, ma wai ia e arai?

11 F or he knows the vain men; and he sees the iniquity; will he not then understand it?

E mohio ana hoki ia ki nga tangata teka noa; a e kite ana ia i te he, ahakoa e kore e whakaaroa e ia.

12 T he vain man shall make himself understood, though man is born like a wild ass’s colt.

Otiia ko te mea whakaarokore nei, ko te tangata kahore rawa ona hinengaro, ae ra, to te tangata rite i tona whanautanga kei te kuao kaihe mohoao.

13 ¶ If thou would prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward him;

Ki te whakatikaia e koe tou ngakau, a ka wherahia ou ringa ki a ia;

14 i f there is any iniquity in thy hand and thou dost put it far away and dost not consent that wickedness dwell in thy habitations,

Ki te mea he he kei tou ringa, whakamataratia atu, kaua hoki te kino e noho ki ou tapenakara;

15 t hen shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; thou shalt be strongly established and shalt not fear;

He pono ko reira ara ai tou mata, te ai he ira; ae, ka u hoki koe, te ai he wehi:

16 a nd thou shalt forget thy misery and remember it as waters that passed away;

Tera hoki koe e wareware ki tou mauiui; a e maharatia e koe ano ko nga wai kua rere atu.

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

A ko tou ora tera e marama ke atu i to te poutumarotanga o ate ra; a ahakoa e pouri ano, ka rite ki te ata.

18 A nd thou shalt trust because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig and sleep in safety;

Ka tatu ou whakaaro, no te mea ka whai tumanakohanga atu; ae, ka rapu koe i tetahi taha ou, i tetahi taha, a ka takoto marire koe.

19 t hou shalt lie down, and no one shall make thee afraid; and many shall make requests unto thee.

E takoto iho ano koe, te ai he kaiwhakawehi; he tokomaha ano hoki e whai kia paingia e koe.

20 B ut the eyes of the wicked shall consume themselves, and they shall have no refuge, and their hope shall be agony of the soul.

Ka poko ia nga kanohi o te hunga kino, kore ake he rerenga mo ratou; ko ta ratou e tumanako atu ai ko te hemonga.