1 A no ra ko Eripata Temani; i mea ia,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2 E whai pai ano ranei te Atua i te tangata? He pono e whai pai te tangata i a ia ano ki te mea he ngakau mohio tona.

“Can a man be profitable to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?

3 H e oranga ngakau ranei ki te Kaha Rawa tou tika? Hei taonga ranei ki a ia, ki te meinga e koe ou ara kia tino tika?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?

4 H e wehi ranei nou i a ia i whakahe ai ia i a koe, i whakawa ai i a koe?

“Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you, And enters into judgment with you?

5 H e teka ianei he nui tou he? Kahore hoki he pito whakamutunga o ou kino.

Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquity without end?

6 I tangohia noatia hoki e koe nga mea a tou teina hei taunaha, huia ana e koe nga kakahu o te hunga e noho tahanga ana.

For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason, And stripped the naked of their clothing.

7 K ihai i whakainumia e koe ki te wai te hunga ngenge; kaiponuhia ana e koe he taro ki te hunga e matekai ana.

You have not given the weary water to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8 K o te tangata marohirohi, i a ia te whenua; ko te tangata honore, noho ana ia i reira.

But the mighty man possessed the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.

9 K o nga pouaru, unga rawakoretia atu ana e koe, whatiwhatiia ana nga ringa o nga pani.

You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the fatherless was crushed.

10 N a reira karapotia putia ana koe e nga mahanga, raruraru ana koe i te wehi pa whakarere;

Therefore snares are all around you, And sudden fear troubles you,

11 I te pouri ranei, e kore ai koe e kite; a nui atu te wai e taupoki na i a koe.

Or darkness so that you cannot see; And an abundance of water covers you.

12 H e teka ianei kei te wahi tiketike o te rangi te Atua? Tirohia atu ano hoki a runga o nga whetu, to ratou teitei!

“Is not God in the height of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!

13 A e mea na koe, He aha ta te Atua e mohio ai? E puta mai ranei tana whakawa i roto i te kapua pouri?

And you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the deep darkness?

14 K o tona wahi ngaro ko nga kapua matotoru, te kite ia; kei te taiawhio ano ia i nga rangi.

Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see, And He walks above the circle of heaven.’

15 K a mau tonu ranei koe ki te ara o mua, i haerea ra e nga tangata kikino?

Will you keep to the old way Which wicked men have trod,

16 I kapohia atu nei i te mea kahore ano i rite o ratou ra; tahoroa ana to ratou turanga ano he awa:

Who were cut down before their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?

17 I mea nei ki te Atua, Mawehe atu i a matou; a, He aha e taea e te Kaha Rawa mo matou?

They said to God, ‘Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?’

18 H eoi i whakakiia e ia o ratou whare ki nga mea papai: ko te whakaaro ia o te hunga kino e matara atu ana i ahau.

Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19 E kite ana te hunga tika, a koa ana: kataina iho ratou e te hunga harakore:

“The righteous see it and are glad, And the innocent laugh at them:

20 M e te ki, He pono kua haukotia te hunga i tahuri mai ki a tatou, pau ake i te ahi te toenga o ratou.

‘Surely our adversaries are cut down, And the fire consumes their remnant.’

21 W aiho ia hei hoa mou, katahi koe ka ata noho; ma reira ka tae mai ai te pai ki a koe.

“Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.

22 T ahuri mai ra ki te ture a tona mangai, rongoatia hoki ana kupu ki roto ki tou ngakau.

Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.

23 K i te hoki koe ki te Kaha Rawa, tera koe e hanga; ki te nekehia atu e koe te kino kia mamao i ou teneti.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.

24 A ka whakapuranga koe i tau taonga ki te puehu, te koura o Opira ki waenga i nga kohatu o nga awa;

Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

25 A ko te Kaha Rawa hei taonga mou, hei hiriwa utu nui ki a koe.

Yes, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver;

26 K o reira hoki koe ahuareka ai ki te Kaha Rawa, a ka ara ake tou mata ki te Atua.

For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.

27 K a inoi ano koe ki a ia, a ka whakarongo mai ia ki a koe; ka whakamana ano e koe au kupu taurangi.

You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.

28 K a whakatakotoria hoki e koe he tikanga, a ka whakapumautia ki a koe; ka whiti ano te marama ki runga ki ou ara.

You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.

29 K i te maka koe e ratou ki raro, ka ki koe, Tenei ano he whakaarahanga ake; ka whakaorangia ano e ia te ngakau whakaiti.

When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come! ’ Then He will save the humble person.

30 K a whakaorangia e ia te tangata ahakoa ehara i te harakore: ae ra, ka whakaorangia ia e te ma o ou ringa.

He will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”