1 H e himene na Ahapa. He pono, he pai te Atua ki a Iharaira; ki te hunga ngakau ma.

A Psalm of Asaph. Only -- good to Israel God, to the clean of heart. And I -- as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,

2 K o ahau ia, wahi iti kua tapepa oku waewae: me i kotahi kua paheke oku takahanga.

As nothing, have my steps slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,

3 I hae hoki ahau ki te hunga whakahi, i toku kitenga i te tangata hara e kake ana.

The peace of the wicked I see, That there are no bands at their death,

4 K ahore hoki he whakawiringa a te mate i a ratou: he maro ano o ratou uaua.

And their might firm.

5 K ahore nga mea whakapouri tangata e pa ki a ratou; kahore ano ratou e whiua tahitia me te mano tangata.

In the misery of mortals they are not, And with common men they are not plagued.

6 N a reira, ano he hei te whakakake e awhi nei i a ratou, ano he kakahu te tutu e hipokina nei ratou.

Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.

7 P upuhi ana o ratou kanohi i te ngako: nui ake nga mea i a ratou i a o ratou ngakau i hiahia ai.

Their eye hath come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;

8 E whakahi ana ratou, e korero kino ana mo te whakatoi: kei runga noa ake a ratou korero.

They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, From on high they speak.

9 T utuki tonu to ratou mangai ki nga rangi: e kopikopiko ana hoki to ratou arero i runga i te whenua.

They have set in the heavens their mouth, And their tongue walketh in the earth.

10 K oia tona iwi i hoki mai ai ki konei: a e whakawiria ana he wai mo ratou, ki tonu te kapu.

Therefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.

11 E mea ana ratou, Ma te aha e matau ai te Atua? He matauranga koia to te Runga Rawa?

And they have said, `How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'

12 N ana, ko te hunga kino tenei, kei runga tonu i te whenua rangatira, e hua ana o ratou taonga.

Lo, these the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.

13 H e pono he maumau taku mea i toku ngakau kia ma, taku horoi hoki i oku ringa ki te harakore.

Only -- a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,

14 E whiua ana hoki ahau i te roa o te ra, e pakia ana i nga ata katoa.

And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof every morning.

15 M e i ki ahau, Ka penei taku korero; na e tinihanga ana ahau ki te whakatupuranga o au tamariki.

If I have said, `I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.

16 I taku meatanga kia matauria tenei, ka kite ahau he mahi whakauaua rawa;

And I think to know this, Perverseness it in mine eyes,

17 T ae noa ahau ki te wahi tapu o te Atua, katahi ahau ka mohio ki to ratou mutunga.

Till I come in to the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.

18 H e pono i whakaturia ratou e koe ki nga wahi pahekeheke; a whakataka ana e koe ki te ngaromanga.

Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.

19 A no te panga whakareretanga o to ratou hunanga! kua pau rawa i nga wehi.

How have they become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended -- consumed from terrors.

20 K a rite ki te rekanga kanohi, ina ara ake te tangata, tau whakahawea ki to ratou ahua, e te Ariki, ina ara ake koe.

As a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, their image Thou despisest.

21 N a mamae noa iho toku ngakau, a hukihuki ana oku whatumanawa.

For my heart doth show itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,

22 H e whakaarokore hoki ahau, he kuware: me te mea he kirehe ahau i tou aroaro.

And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.

23 A hakoa ra kei a koe tonu ahau; e puritia ana e koe toku ringa matau.

And I continually with Thee, Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.

24 M a tou whakaaro ahau e arahi; muri iho ka riro ahau i a koe ki te kororia.

With Thy counsel Thou dost lead me, And after honour dost receive me.

25 K o wai hoki toku i te rangi ko koe anake? Kahore atu hoki oku i te whenua e hiahia ai, ko koe anake.

Whom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.

26 H emo iho oku kikokiko me toku ngakau: ko te Atua ia te kaha o toku ngakau, toku wahi ake ake.

Consumed hath been my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart and my portion God to the age.

27 N a, ko te hunga e mamao atu ana i a koe ka mate: ka ngaro i a koe te hunga puremu katoa e whakarere nei i a koe.

For, lo, those far from Thee do perish, Thou hast cut off every one, Who is going a whoring from Thee.

28 K o ahau ia, he pai ki ahau te whakatata ki te Atua: kua waiho e ahau te Ariki, a Ihowa, hei whakawhirinakitanga moku, kia whakapuakina ai e ahau au mahi katoa.

And I -- nearness of God to me good, I have placed in the Lord Jehovah my refuge, To recount all Thy works!