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

“Man who is born of 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 comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.

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

And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself?

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? No 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.

Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so 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.

Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes 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 for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots 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 its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may 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 at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches 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 dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last 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 water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries 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 lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from 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!

“Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would 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 dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.

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

You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your 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 You number my steps, But do 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 You cover my iniquity.

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

“But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its 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.

As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy 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.

You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send 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 honor, and he does not know it; They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.

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

But his flesh will be in pain over it, And his soul will mourn over it.”