1 A i korero tonu a Hopa i tana pepeha, i mea,

And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --

2 A ue, me i rite ki nga marama o mua, ki nga ra i tiaki ai te Atua i ahau!

Who doth make me as months past, As the days of God's preserving me?

3 I tiaho mai ai tana rama ki toku matenga, a na tana whakamarama i haere ai ahau i te pouri:

In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk darkness.

4 M e i pera ano me ahau i nga ra o toku taiohitanga, i te mea nei kei runga to te Atua whakaaro puku i toku teneti;

As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

5 I te mea e noho ana ano te Kaha Rawa i ahau, a kei tetahi taha oku aku tamariki, kei tetahi taha;

When yet the Mighty One with me. Round about me -- my young ones,

6 I horoia ai oku takahanga ki te pata, a rere mai ana nga awa hinu ki ahau i roto i te kohatu!

When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock with me rivulets of oil.

7 I toku haerenga atu ki te kuwaha ki te pa, a whakapai ana i te nohoanga moku i te waharoa,

When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

8 K a kite nga taitamariki i ahau, a piri ana ratou: whakatika ana nga koroheke, tu ana ki runga;

Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.

9 M utu pu te korero a nga tino tangata, kua kopania te ringa ki o ratou mangai;

Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.

10 N garo ana te reo o nga rangatira, piri ana o ratou arero ki o ratou ngao.

The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.

11 N o te rongonga hoki o te taringa i ahau manaaki ana i ahau; te kitenga o te kanohi i ahau, whakaae mai ana ki aku mahi:

For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth me.

12 N o te mea naku i whakaora te rawakore i a ia e karanga ana, te pani me te tangata hoki kahore nei ona kaiawhina.

For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.

13 I tau ki runga ki ahau te manaaki a te tangata e tata ana ki te whakangaromanga; harakoa ana i ahau te ngakau o te pouaru.

The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.

14 I kakahuria e ahau te tika, a ko tera toku kakahu: e rite ana taku whakarite whakawa he koroka, he karauna.

Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.

15 H e kanohi ahau ki te matapo, he waewae ki te kopa.

Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame I.

16 H e matua ahau ki nga rawakore: a i ata rapua e ahau te tikanga o te totohe a te tangata kihai nei ahau i mohio.

A father I to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

17 W awahia ana e ahau nga kauae o te tangata kino, a takiritia mai ana e ahau tana mea pahua i roto i ona niho.

And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

18 K atahi ahau ka mea, Tera ahau e mate i roto i toku ohanga; ka whakanuia oku ra kia rite ki te onepu te maha:

And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'

19 K o toku pakiaka tautoro tonu ki nga wai, a i te po tau ana te tomairangi ki runga ki toku peka:

My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.

20 K o toku kororia hou tonu i roto i ahau, a hoki ake ana te kaha o taku kopere i toku ringa.

My honour fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.

21 I whakarongo mai nga tangata ki ahau, i tatari, whakarongo puku ana ratou i ahau e whakatakoto whakaaro ana.

To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

22 I muri i aku kupu kore ake ratou i korero ano; maturuturu iho ana aku kupu ki runga ki a ratou.

After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,

23 I taria mai ahau e ratou ano ko te ua; hamama mai ana o ratou mangai ano e tatari ana ki te ua o muri.

And they wait as rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide for the latter rain.

24 K a kata ahau ki a ratou, kihai i whakaponohia e ratou; kihai hoki ratou i whakataka i te marama o toku mata.

I laugh unto them -- they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.

25 N aku to ratou ara i whiriwhiri, a noho ana ahau hei rangatira, noho ana hoki ahau ano he kingi i roto i te ope; i rite ahau ki te kaiwhakamarie o te hunga e tangi ana.

I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.