1 H e aha nga wa te whakapurangatia ai e te Kaha Rawa? A he aha hoki te hunga e mohio ana ki a ia te kite ai i ona ra?

“ Why are times not stored up by the Almighty, And why do those who know Him not see His days?

2 T era etahi e whakaneke atu ana i nga rohe; e kahakina ana e ratou nga kahui, whangaia iho e ratou.

“ Some remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.

3 E aia atu ana e ratou te kaihe a nga pani, e tangohia ana hei taunaha te kau a te pouaru.

“They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

4 W hakapekaia ketia ana e ratou nga rawakore i te ara: huihui ana nga ware o te whenua, piri ana.

“They push the needy aside from the road; The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

5 N ana, rite tonu ratou ki te kaihe mahoao i te koraha, haere atu ana ki ta ratou mahi, e whai ana ki te kai; hei kai te koraha ma ratou, ma a ratou tamariki.

“Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness They go forth seeking food in their activity, As bread for their children in the desert.

6 E kotia ana e ratou ta ratou witi i te mara; e kohia ana e ratou nga waina a te hunga tutu.

“They harvest their fodder in the field And glean the vineyard of the wicked.

7 E takoto tahanga ana ratou i te po roa, kahore he kakahu, kahore hoki he hipoki i te maeke.

“ They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering against the cold.

8 M aku iho ratou i te awha o nga maunga, a, ka kore he rerenga, ka awhi i te kamaka.

“They are wet with the mountain rains And hug the rock for want of a shelter.

9 T era te hunga, e tangohia mai ana e ratou te pani i te u, e tango ana i ta te rawakore taunaha:

“ Others snatch the orphan from the breast, And against the poor they take a pledge.

10 K oia ka haere tahanga ratou, kahore he kakahu, a, i te matekai ka hari i nga paihere witi;

“They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing, And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

11 E mahi nei i te hinu i roto i nga taiepa a aua tangata; e takahi nei i a ratou poka waina, me te mate i te wai.

“Within the walls they produce oil; They tread wine presses but thirst.

12 E aue ana nga tangata i roto i te pa, e karanga ana hoki te wairua o te hunga i patua: kahore ano ia a te Atua whakakuware ki a ratou.

“From the city men groan, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not pay attention to folly.

13 N o te hunga ratou e whakakeke ana ki te marama; kahore o ratou mohio ki ona ara, e kore ano ratou e noho ki ona huarahi.

“ Others have been with those who rebel against the light; They do not want to know its ways Nor abide in its paths.

14 E maranga ana te kaikohuru i te mea ka marama, patua iho e ia te ware me te rawakore; a i te po ka pena ia i te tahae.

“The murderer arises at dawn; He kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is as a thief.

15 E tatari ana te kanohi o te tangata puremu kia nehunehu iho, e mea ana, E kore te kanohi e kite i ahau: e huna ana ia i tona mata.

“The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ And he disguises his face.

16 E keri ana ratou i nga whare i te pouri: i te awatea e pa ana ratou i a ratou: kahore ratou e mohio ki te marama.

“In the dark they dig into houses, They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light.

17 K i a ratou katoa hoki e rite ana te ata ki te atarangi o te mate; e matau ana hoki ratou ki nga whakamataku o te atarangi o te mate.

“For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.

18 T ere tonu ia ki runga ki te mata o nga wai; he mea kanga to ratou wahi i runga i te whenua: e kore ia e anga mai ki te ara ki nga mara waina.

“They are insignificant on the surface of the water; Their portion is cursed on the earth. They do not turn toward the vineyards.

19 K a riro nga wai o te hukarere i te tauraki, i te wera: te hunga hara ano hoki i te reinga.

“Drought and heat consume the snow waters, So does Sheol those who have sinned.

20 K a wareware te kopu ki a ia; he kai reka ia ma te iro; e kore ia e maharatia i muri iho; ka whati hoki te kino ano he rakau.

“A mother will forget him; The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered. And wickedness will be broken like a tree.

21 E tukinotia ana e ia te pakoko kihai nei i whanau; kahore hoki ana mahi pai ki te pouaru.

“He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for the widow.

22 E kumea atu ana hoki e ia nga marohirohi ki tona kaha: ka whakatika ake ia, kahore he tangata e u ki te ora.

“But He drags off the valiant by His power; He rises, but no one has assurance of life.

23 I homai ano e te Atua ki a ratou kia au te noho, a ka whakawhirinaki ratou ki reira; kei runga hoki i o ratou huarahi ona kanohi.

“He provides them with security, and they are supported; And His eyes are on their ways.

24 E whakanekehia ake ana ratou; otiia wahi iti nei, kua kahore noa iho ratou; ae ra, ka whakaitia ratou, ka whakawateatia atu pera i era atu katoa, a ka tapahia atu ano ko nga kauru o nga puku witi.

“They are exalted a little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

25 K i te mea he teka tenei ko wai hei whakateka ki ahau, hei whakakahore i taku korero?

“Now if it is not so, who can prove me a liar, And make my speech worthless?”