1 K ua hoha toku wairua ki toku ora; ka tukua e ahau taku tangi kia rere ana; ka korero ahau i te kikiwatanga o toku ngakau.

“My soul is weary of my life. I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2 K a mea ahau ki te Atua, Kaua ahau e whakahengia; whakakitea ki ahau te take i totohe ai koe ki ahau.

I will tell God, ‘Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

3 H e mea pai ranei ki a koe kia tukino koe, kia whakahawea ki te mahi a ou ringa, a kia whiti tou marama ki te whakaaro o te hunga kino?

Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?

4 H e kanohi kikokiko ranei ou? he penei ranei tau titiro me ta te tangata titiro?

Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?

5 H e rite ranei ou ra ki o te tangata ra? He rite ranei ou tau ki o te tangata ra?

Are your days as the days of mortals, or your years as man’s years,

6 I uiuia ai e koe toku kino, i rapua ai e koe toku hara?

that you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

7 A hakoa e mohio ana ano koe ehara ahau i te mea he, kahore ano tetahi hei whakaora i roto i tou ringa?

Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

8 N a ou ringa ahau i mahi, i hanga, he mea hono marie i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha; otiia e whakangaromia ana ahau e koe.

“‘Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.

9 K ia mahara ra, nau ahau i hanga, ano he paru; tera ranei koe e whakahoki ano i ahau ki te puehu?

Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?

10 H e teka ianei he mea riringi ahau nau ano he waiu, meinga ana ahau e koe kia tetepe ano he tiihi?

Haven’t you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

11 N au ahau i whakakakahu ki te kiri, ki te kikokiko, a nau ano ahau i hohou ki te wheua, ki te uaua.

You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

12 W hakawhiwhi ana ahau e koe ki te ora, ki te atawhai, a he tirotirohanga mai nau i mau ai toku wairua.

You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.

13 H eoi huna ana ano enei mea e koe i roto i tou ngakau: e mohio ana hoki ahau kei a koe ano tenei.

Yet you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you:

14 K i te hara ahau, ka matauria e koe; e kore ano koe e whakakahore ki toku he.

if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

15 K i te he ahau, aue toku mate: ki te tika ahau, e kore tonu e ara toku mahunga; he ki hoki noku i te whakama me te titiro iho ki toku mate.

If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

16 A ki te whakarewa ake toku mahunga i a ia, ka whaia ahau e koe ano he raiona; a ka whakakite ano koe i a koe, i tou miharo, ki ahau.

If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.

17 E whakahoutia ana e koe au kaiwhakaatu i oku he, e whakanuia ana hoki e koe tou riri ki ahau; ko nga putanga ketanga ko te whawhai hei pehi i ahau.

You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.

18 H e aha ra ahau i whakaputaina mai ai e koe i roto i te kopu? te hemo noa atu ai ahau, a kihai tetahi kanohi i kite i ahau.

“‘Why, then, have you brought me out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.

19 P enei kua rite ahau, ano kua kahore noa iho; kua mauria atu ahau i te kopu ki te urupa.

I should have been as though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

20 H e teka ranei he torutoru oku ra? Kati ra, waiho ake koa ahau, kia ahua makoha ana i tenei wa iti,

Aren’t my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,

21 K eiwha haere, ahau ki te wahi e kore nei ahau e hoki mai, ki te whenua o te pouri, o te atarangi o te mata;

before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

22 K i te whenua o te pouri kerekere, o te tino o te pouri; he whenua no te atarangi o te mate, kahore nei o reira tikanga, a ko tona marama, koia ano te pouri.

the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.’”