1 K atahi ka whakautua e Topara Naamati; i mea ia,

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 N a kona oku whakaaro i whakahoki kupu ake ai i roto i ahau; na reira ano ahau i hohoro ai.

“My troubled thoughts make me answer, because I have no rest inside.

3 K ua rongo ahau i te whakahe moku, e pa ai te whakama ki ahau, a na te wairua o toku ngakau mahara te kupu whakahoki ki ahau.

I heard the strong words that take away my honor. The spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

4 K ahore ranei koe i mohio ki tenei i mua noa atu, i te wa ra ano i whakanohoia ai te tangata ki runga ki te whenua;

Do you not know from long ago, since man was put on earth,

5 H e poto te wa e whakamanamana ai te tangata kino, a ko te hari o te tangata atuakore he wheriko kau?

that the honor of the sinful is short, and the joy of the sinful lasts only a short time?

6 A hakoa eke noa tona nui ki nga rangi, a pa atu tona mahunga ki nga kapua;

Even if his pride is as high as the heavens and his head touches the clouds,

7 K a memeha atu ano ia a ake ake, ka pera ano me tona paru: ko te hunga kua kite i a ia, ka mea, Kei hea ia?

he will be gone forever, like his own waste. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 K a rere atu ia ano he moemoea, e kore ano hoki e kitea: ae ka aia atu ia, ano he rekanga kanohi no te po.

He will fly away like a dream, and not be found. He will be driven away like a dream of the night.

9 K o te kanohi i kite i a ia e kore e kite ano; a heoi ano tirohanga a tona wahi ki a ia.

The eye which saw him will see him no more. His place will no longer see him.

10 E whakamanawareka ana tamariki i nga rawakore, ma ona ringa ano e whakahoki ona rawa.

His sons will look for the favor of the poor. And his hands will give back his riches.

11 E ki ana ona wheua i te tamarikitanga; engari ka takoto tahi me ia i roto i te puehu.

His bones are full of the strength of the young, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

12 A hakoa reka te kino i roto i tona mangai, ahakoa huna e ia i raro i tona arero;

“Sin is sweet in his mouth. He hides it under his tongue.

13 A hakoa manawapatia noatia e ia, a kahore e mahue i a ia, heoi pupuri tonu i roto i tona mangai;

He hates to let it go, and holds it in his mouth.

14 O tira ka puta ke tana kai i roto i ona whekau, ko te au o nga ahipi i roto i a ia.

Yet his food in his stomach is changed to the poison of snakes inside him.

15 I horomia e ia te taonga, ka ruakina mai ano e ia; ma te Atua e akiri mai i roto i tona kopu.

He eats riches, but will spit them up. God will take them out of his stomach.

16 K a ngotea e ia te huware whakamate o nga ahipi; ka mate ano ia i te arero o te waipera.

He will drink the poison of snakes. The snake’s tongue will kill him.

17 E kore ia e kite i nga awa, i nga wai rere o te honi, o te pata.

He will not look at the rivers, the rivers flowing with honey and milk.

18 K o tana i uaua ai ka whakahokia e ia, e kore ano e horomia; ko tana utu ka rite ki ona taonga; e kore ano e koa ki reira.

He must return what he has worked for, and can not eat it. He will not have joy from the riches of his trading.

19 N ana hoki i tukino nga rawakore, whakarerea iho; murua ana e ia he whare, a e kore e hanga ano e ia.

For he has taken from the poor and left them with nothing. He has taken houses which he has not built.

20 I te mea kahore ia i kite i te tatutanga i roto i a ia, e kore ano etahi o nga mea e matea nuitia ana e ia e mau ki a ia.

“Because he thought he never had enough, he has nothing that gives him joy.

21 K ahore tetahi mea i toe i kore te horomia e ia; no reira e kore tetahi mea pai ona e mau tonu.

There was nothing more for him to get, so his having everything will not last.

22 I a ia e whiwhi nui nei i te rawa, e rawakore ano ia; ka tae mai ki a ia nga ringa katoa o te hunga kei roto i te mata.

Even when he has many riches, he will have trouble. Everyone who suffers will come against him.

23 I a ia ka mea ki te whakaki i tona kopu, ka maka mai e te Atua te kaha o tona riri ki runga ki a ia, a ka ringihia iho ki a ia, i a ia ano e kai ana.

When he fills his stomach, God will send His great anger on him. He will send it on him while he is eating.

24 K a rere atu ia i te patu rino, ka tu ia i te kopere parahi, puta pu.

He may get away from the iron sword, but the brass bow will shoot an arrow in him.

25 E unuhia ana, kua puta mai i roto i te tinana, ina, puta mai ana te mata wheriko i roto i tona au: kua tau nga wehi ki a ia.

It cuts through his body and comes out of his back. The shining arrow comes out of his liver. Much fear comes upon him.

26 K o te pouri katoa kei te takoto mai mo ana taonga: ka kainga ia e te ahi, kihai i puhia e te tangata; ma reira e pau ai te toenga i roto i tona teneti.

Complete darkness is stored up for his riches. A fire not kept going by man will burn him up. It will destroy all that is left in his tent.

27 K a whakakitea mai tona he e nga rangi ka whakatika mai ano te whenua ki a ia.

The heavens will make his sin known, and the earth will rise up against him.

28 K o nga hua o tona whare ka riro: ka rere, ano he wai, ona mea i te ra e riri ai ia.

The things of his house will be carried away. They will be taken away in the day of God’s anger.

29 K o ta te Atua wahi tenei ma te tangata kino, ko te taonga tupu i kiia e te Atua mona.

This is what God has for sinful men. It is what God chooses to give to them.”