1 K o te tangata i whanau i te wahine, he torutoru ona ra; ki tonu ano i te raruraru.

Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

2 A no he puawai ia e puta mai ana, e kotia iho ana: rere ana ia, ano he atarangi, kahore hoki he tumautanga.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

3 E titiro mai ano ranei ou kanohi ki te penei? E mea ranei koe i ahau kia whakawa taua ki a taua?

And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

4 K o wai hei homai i te mea ma i roto i te mea poke? Hore rawa.

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

5 K ua rite na hoki nga ra mona: kei a koe te maha o ona marama; takoto rawa i a koe te tikanga mona, a e kore ia e whiti ki tua.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

6 T ahuri ke atu te titiro i a ia, kia ai ona pariratanga, kia ata tutuki ai tona ra, kia rite ai ki o te kaimahi.

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

7 K a ai hoki he whakaaronga ki te rakau i tapahia, tera ano e pariri, e kore ano hoki e mutu te wana o tona pihi.

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

8 A hakoa kua tawhitotia tona pakiaka a ki te whenua, a kua mate tona tinana i roto i te oneone;

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

9 H eoi ma te haunga o te wai ka pihi, ka kokiri ona peka ano ko ta te mea tupu.

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

10 K o te tangata ia, mate iho, marere noa iho; ae, ka hamo te tangata, a kei hea ia?

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

11 P era i nga wai e he mai nei i te moana, i te awa e mimiti ana, ka maroke;

As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

12 E pera ana ano te tangata, e takoto ana a kahore he whakatikanga ake: kahore he marangatanga ake mo ratou, a kia kore ra ano nga rangi; e kore ano ratou e ara i to ratou moe.

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 A ue, kia huna noatia oti ahau e koe ki te po, kia waihotia noatia iho ahau e koe kia ngaro ana, kia hoki ra ano tou riri; kia rohea noatia mai e koe tetahi wa moku, a ka mahara mai ai ano ki ahau!

O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

14 K i te mate te tangata, e ora ano ranei ia? Ka tatari ahau i nga ra katoa o toku ngananga, kia tae mai ra ano he whakaputanga moku.

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

15 M au e karanga, kia whakao atu ai ahau; kahore hoki e kore ka matenui koe ki te mahi a ou ringa.

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

16 I naianei hoki e taua ana e koe oku hikoinga; he teka ianei e matatau tonu mai ana koe ki toku hara?

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

17 H iri rawa toku he ki roto ki te putea, tuitui rawa e koe toku kino.

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

18 H e pono ko te maunga e horo ana e memeha noa ake ana, e nekehia ana te toka i tona wahi;

And surely the mountains falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

19 E ngau ana te wai i nga kohatu; ma tona puhaketanga e horoi atu te puehu o te whenua; a whakangaromia iho e koe te tumanako a te tangata.

The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

20 T aea ana ia e koe ake tonu atu, a pahure ana ia; puta ke ana i a koe tona mata, a tonoa atu ana ia kia haere.

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

21 K o te whakahonoretanga o ana tama, kahore e mohiotia e ia; ka hoki iho ratou hei ware, heoi kahore tetahi aha o ratou e maharatia e ia.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

22 E mamae ano ia te kikokiko o tona tinana, a ka tangi tona wairua i roto i a ia.

But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.