1 I muri i tenei ka puaki te mangai o Hopa, a ka kanga e ia tona ra.

After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.

2 N a ka oho a Hopa, ka mea,

He said,

3 K ia ngaro te ra i whanau ai ahau, te po i korerotia ai, He tamaroa kei roto i te kopu.

“Let the day be lost on which I was born, and the night which said, ‘A boy is born.’

4 W aiho taua ra mo te pouri; kaua e tirohia iho e te Atua i runga; kaua hoki e whitingia e te marama.

May that day be darkness. May God above not care for it. May light not shine on it.

5 K ia poke ia i te pouri, i te atarangi hoki o te mate; kia tauria iho e te kapua; kia whakawehia ano hoki e te whakapouritanga o te ra.

Let darkness and a heavy shadow take it for their own. Let a cloud come upon it. Let the darkness of the day bring fear upon it.

6 N a ko taua po, kia mau pu i te pouri kerekere: kei honoa ki nga ra o te tau; kei huihuia atu ina taua nga marama.

As for that night, let darkness take hold of it. Let it not have joy among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of months.

7 N ana, kia mokemoke taua po, kaua te reo koa e uru ki roto.

Yes, let that night be alone and empty. Let no sound of joy come into it.

8 K ia kanga hoki e te hunga kanga i te ra, e te hunga mohio ki te whakaara rewiatana.

Let those curse it who curse the day, who are able to wake up the Leviathan.

9 K ia pouri nga whetu o tona kakarauritanga; kia tatari ki te marama, a kahore noa iho; kei kite hoki i te takiritanga ata.

Let the early morning stars be made dark. Let it wait for light but have none. Do not let it see the light of day.

10 M ona kihai i tutaki i nga tatau o te kopu o toku whaea, kihai i huna i te mauiui kei kitea e ahau.

Because it did not keep my mother from giving birth to me, or hide trouble from my eyes.

11 H e aha ahau te mate ai i te kopu? He aha te hemo ai i toku putanga mai i te kopu?

“Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not come from my mother and die?

12 H e aha i rite wawe ai nga turi moku, me nga u hei ngote maku?

Why did the knees receive me, or why the breasts, that I should have milk?

13 M e i pena, kua ata takoto ahau, te ai he whakaohooho, moe ana ahau: katahi ahau ka whai okiokinga,

For now I would have lain down and been quiet. I would have slept then. I would have been at rest,

14 I roto i nga kingi, i nga kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro o te whenua i hanga nei i nga wahi mokemoke mo ratou,

with kings and wise men of the earth who built cities for themselves that are now destroyed.

15 I roto ranei i nga rangatira whai koura, o ratou nei whare ki tonu i te hiriwa:

I would have been at rest with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.

16 K ua kahore noa iho ranei, kua pera me te materoto e ngaro nei, me nga kohungahunga kahore nei e kite i te marama.

Why did I not die before I was born, hidden and put away, as babies that never see the light?

17 M utu ake i reira te whakararuraru a te hunga kino; okioki ana i reira te hunga kua mauiui nga uaua.

There the troubles of the sinful stop. There the tired are at rest.

18 A ta noho ana nga herehere i reira, te rongo i te reo o te kaitukino.

Those in prison are at rest together. They do not hear the voice of the one who rules over their work.

19 K ei reira te iti, te rahi, kahore hoki he rangatira o te pononga.

The small and the great are there. And the servant is free from his owner.

20 H e aha te marama i homai ai ki te tangata kei roto nei i te mate? te ora ki te tangata kua kawa te wairua?

“Why is light given to him who suffers? Why is life given to those who feel sad in their soul?

21 E koingo nei ki te mate, heoi kahore noa iho; e keri ana kia taea ia, nui atu i te keri i nga taonga huna.

They wait for death, but there is none. They dig for it more than for hidden riches.

22 H ari pu ratou, koa ana, ina kitea te urupa.

They are filled with much joy and are glad, when they find the grave.

23 H e aha ano te marama i homai ai ki te tangata kua huna nei tona ara, kua oti nei te tutakitaki mai e te Atua?

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and around whom God has built a wall?

24 K iano hoki ahau i kai, kua tae mai taku mapu: ano he wai oku hamama e ringihia ana.

For I cry inside myself in front of my food. My cries pour out like water.

25 N o te mea kua tae mai ki ahau te mea whakawehi e wehi nei ahau; ko taku e pawera nei kua pa ki ahau.

What I was afraid of has come upon me. What filled me with fear has happened.

26 K ahore oku humarie, kahore oku ata noho, ehara i te mea e okioki ana; na kua puta te raruraru.

I am not at rest, and I am not quiet. I have no rest, but only trouble.”