1 N a ka whakahoki a Hopa, ka mea,

Then Job answered and said,

2 E mohiotia ana ano tenei e ahau; engari ma te aha ka tika ai te tangata ki te Atua?

I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

3 K i te pai ia ki te totohe ki a ia, kahore he kupu kotahi o roto i te mano e taea e ia te whakahoki ki a ia.

If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

4 H e ngakau mohio ia, he pakari tona kaha: ko wai e whakauaua ki a ia, a e whiwhi i te pai?

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

5 E nekehia ana e ia nga maunga, te mohio ratou; hurihia ake e ia i a ia e riri ana.

Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

6 E whakangaueuetia ana e ia te whenua, e nekehia atu ana i tona wahi, wiri ana ona pou.

Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

7 E korero nei ki te ra, a kore ake e whiti; hiritia putia iho e ia nga whetu.

Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

8 K o ia nei anake hei hora i nga rangi, hei takahi i runga i nga ngaru o te moana.

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

9 N ana nei i hanga a Aketura, a Tautoru, a Matariki, me nga ruma i te tonga.

Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10 N ana nei i mahi nga mea nunui, e kore nei e taea te rapu atu, ae ra nga mea whakamiharo, e kore nei e taea te tatau.

Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

11 I na tonu ia e haere atu nei, a kahore ahau i kite; ka pahemo atu hoki ia, a kahore ahau e matau ki a ia.

Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12 N ana, ka hopu ia i tana i aru ai, ma wai ia e arai? Ko wai hei ki atu ki a ia, E aha ana koe?

Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13 E kore te Atua e whakahoki iho i tona riri; e piko ana ki raro i a ia nga kaiawhina o Rahapa.

If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14 A kia whakahoki kupu ano ahau ki a ia, kia whiriwhiri kupu ano maku ki a ia?

How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

15 A hakoa he tika ahau, e kore ahau e whakahoki kupu atu; engari ka inoi ahau ki toku kaiwhakawa.

Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16 M e i karanga atu ahau, a whakahokia mai ai e ia te kupu ki ahau, kihai ahau i whakaae tera kua whakarongo mai ia ki toku reo.

If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17 E aki ana hoki ia ia ahau ki te tupuhi, e whakanui takekore ana hoki i oku mate.

For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18 K ahore ahau e tukua e ia kia ta toku manawa; otiia whakakiia ana e ia toku wairua ki te kawa.

He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

19 K i te korero tatou mo te kaha o te hunga pakari, nana, kei reira ia! A ki te mea he whakawa, ko wai ra hei whakatakoto i te taima moku?

If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20 A hakoa he tika ahau, ma toku mangai ano ahau e whakahe; ahakoa he tikanga tapatahi taku, ma reira ano e whakaatu toku ngaunga ketanga.

If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21 H e tapatahi ahau; kahore ahau e whakaaro ki ahau ano; e whakahawea ana ahau ki toku ora.

Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22 H e kotahi tonu ena; koia ahau ka mea, e whakamotitia ana e ia te tapatahi raua ko te kino.

This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23 N a ka whakamate tata nei te whiu, he kata tana ki te whakamatautauranga o te hunga harakore.

If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24 K ua hoatu te whenua ki te ringa o te tangata kino; e taupokina ana e ia nga mata o nga kaiwhakawa; ki te mea ehara i a ia, tena ko wai?

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

25 N a, ko te hohoro o oku ra, nui atu i to te kaikawe pukapuka; e rere ana, kahore hoki e kite i te pai.

Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

26 K ua pahemo, kua pera me nga kaipuke tere, me te ekara ano e topa iho ana ki tana kai.

They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

27 K i te mea ahau, ka wareware ahau ki taku tangi, ka unuhia atu e ahau te pouri o toku mata, a ka marama:

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28 E wehi ana ahau i oku mamae katoa, e mohio ana ahau e kore ahau e meinga e koe he harakore.

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29 T era hoki ahau e whakahengia; he aha ahau i whakangenge kau ai i ahau?

If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

30 K i te horoi ahau i ahau ki te hukarere, a ka meinga oku ringa kia ma rawa;

If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31 K atahi ahau ka rumakina e koe ki te poka, a whakarihariha mai ana oku kakahu ki ahau.

yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32 E hara hoki ia i te tangata, i te penei me ahau nei, e whakahoki kupu ai ahau ki a ia, e haere tahi ai maua ki te whakawa.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

33 K ahore he kaiwhakatikatika mo ta maua, kahore he tangata hei whakapa i tona ringa ki a maua tahi.

Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34 M e tango atu e ia tana patu i ahau, a kaua hoki tana whakamataku e whakawehi i ahau:

Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35 H ei reira ahau ka korero, a kahore e wehi i a ia; kahore hoki ahau e pera i roto i ahau.

then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.