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, but you are the people, and wisdom shall 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. Yes, who doesn’t 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 like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

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. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

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 tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.

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;

“But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall 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 shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall 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 doesn’t know that in all these, Yahweh’s hand has done this,

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

in whose 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?

Doesn’t the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

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

With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

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

“With God is 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 breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

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.

Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

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

With him is strength 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. He makes 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 loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

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

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

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

He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

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 out to light 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 increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

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 chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

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. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.