1 N a ka whakautu a Hopa, ka mea,

Then Job answered,

2 H e tika rawa ko koutou nga tangata, a ka mate tahi atu te whakaaro nui me koutou.

No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!

3 O tira kei ahau ano hoki he ngakau, he pera ano me o koutou, kihai ahau i hoki iho i a koutou: ko wai ra te he ana ki enei mea?

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these ?

4 T oku rite kei te tangata e waiho ana hei kata ma tona hoa, he tangata e karanga ana ki te Atua, a whakarongo mai ana tera ki a ia: e waiho ana te mea tika, te mea tapatahi, hei kata.

I am become one who is a laughingstock to his friend; I, one whom God answered when he called upon Him—a just, upright (blameless) man—laughed to scorn!

5 K ei roto i te whakaaro o te tangata, e tau ana tana noho, te whakahawea ki te aitua; e tauwhanga ana tena ki te hunga e paheke ana te waewae.

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune—but it is ready for those whose feet slip.

6 K ei te rangatira nga teneti o nga kaipahua, a noho kore wehi ana te hunga e whakapataritari ana ki te Atua; he ope noa mai hoki ta te Atua ki o ratou ringa.

The dwellings of robbers prosper; those who provoke God are secure; God supplies them abundantly.

7 T ena ra, ui atu ki nga kararehe, ma ratou koe e whakaako; ki nga manu o te rangi, ma ratou e korero ki a koe;

For ask now the animals, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

8 K orero atu ranei ki te whenua, a mana koe e whakaako; ka whakaaturia mai ano hoki ki a koe e nga ika o te moana.

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

9 K o wai i kore te mohio ki enei mea katoa, he mea mahi tenei na te ringa o Ihowa?

Who not to recognize in all these that it is God’s hand which does it ?

10 K ei tona ringa nei te wairua o nga mea ora katoa, te manawa hoki o nga kikokiko tangata katoa.

In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

11 H e teka ianei e whakamatauria ana nga kupu e te taringa, pera hoki i te waha e whakarongo nei ki te reka o tana kai?

Is it not the task of the ear to discriminate between words, just as the mouth distinguishes food?

12 K ei nga kaumatua nga whakaaro nui; kei te roa o nga ra te matau.

With the aged is wisdom, and with length of days comes understanding.

13 K ei a ia te whakaaro nui me te kaha; kei a ia te tohutohu me te matauranga.

But with are wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding.

14 N ana, e wawahia ana e ia, kore iho e hanga ano; e kopia ana e ia te tangata, kahore rawa he putanga.

Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be built again; He shuts a man in, and none can open.

15 N ana, e unuhia atu ana e ia nga wai, a kua maroke; e tukua mai ana ano e ia, a ka hurihia te whenua.

He withholds the waters, and the land dries up; again, He sends forth, and they overwhelm the land or transform it.

16 K ei a ia te kaha me te mahi totika; ko te tangata tinihanga me te tangata e tinihangatia ana, nana.

With Him are might and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.

17 E kahakina atu ana e ia nga kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro, he mea pahua; whakakuwaretia iho e ia nga kaiwhakawa.

He leads counselors away stripped and barefoot and makes the judges fools.

18 K o te mana o nga kingi, wetekina ake e ia, herea iho e ia o ratou hope ki te whitiki.

He looses the fetters by kings and has waistcloth bound about their loins.

19 E arahina atu ana e ia nga tohunga, he mea pahua, hurihia iho e ia te hunga kaha.

He leads away priests as spoil, and men firmly seated He overturns.

20 W hakakorea ake e ia he kupu ma te hunga ngakau pono, riro ana i a ia nga mahara o nga kaumatua.

He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

21 E ringihia ana e ia te whakahawea ki runga ki nga rangatira, e wetekina ana e ia te whitiki o te hunga kaha.

He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong.

22 E hurahia mai ana e ia nga mea hohonu i roto i te pouri, whakaputaina mai ana e ia te atarangi o te mate ki te marama.

He uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings into light black gloom and the shadow of death.

23 E whakanuia ana e ia nga iwi, a e huna ana e ia; e tohatohaina atu ana e ia nga iwi, a e whakawhaititia mai ana ano ratou e ia.

He makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations, and leads them.

24 E tangohia atu ana e ia te ngakau o nga rangatira o te iwi o te whenua, a e meinga ana e ia kia kopikopiko noa i te wahi ururua kahore nei he ara.

He takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the land and of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no path.

25 W hawha noa ratou i roto i te pouri, kahore hoki he marama, a meinga ana ratou e ia kia hurori haere ano he tangata haurangi.

They grope in the dark without light, and He makes them to stagger and wander like a drunken man.