1 I noia he ua i a Ihowa i te wa o to muri ua; ara i a Ihowa e hanga nei i nga uira, he nui ano te ua e homai e ia ki a ratou, he tarutaru i te mara ma tenei, ma tenei.

Ask the Lord for rain in the spring time. It is the Lord Who makes the storm clouds. He gives rain to men, and gives vegetables in the field to every one.

2 H e tekateka noa hoki te korero a nga terapimi, he teka te kite a nga tohunga, he horihori nga moe i korerotia e ratou; he hanga noa iho ta ratou whakamarie, na reira haere ana ratou ano he kahui hipi; karangirangi kau ana i te kore hepara.

The false gods say what is not true. Those who use their secret ways tell lies about the false dreams they have seen. Their comfort means nothing. So the people go from place to place like sheep and are troubled because they have no shepherd.

3 I mura toku riri ki nga hepara, i whiua ano e ahau nga koati toa: kua tae mai hoki a Ihowa o nga mano ki tana kahui, ki te whare o Hura, kua mea i a ratou hei hoiho atanga mona i te tatauranga.

“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the Lord of All has visited His flock, the people of Judah, and will make them like His proud horse in battle.

4 N o roto i a ia te putanga ake o te kohatu o te kokonga, no roto i a ia te whao, no roto i a ia te kopere mo te tatauranga, no roto i a ia nga kaiakiaki katoa, rupeke, rupeke.

From them will come the cornerstone. From them will come the tent nail. From them will come the bow of battle. And from them will come every ruler.

5 A ka rite ratou ki nga marohirohi e takatakahi ana i o ratou hoariri ki te paru o nga waharoa i te mea e whawhai ana: ka whawhai ano ratou, no te mea kei a ratou a Ihowa, a ka whakama nga kaieke hoiho.

Together they will be like powerful men, crushing under foot those who hate them into the mud of the streets. They will fight and win the battle against the horsemen because the Lord is with them.

6 N a ka kaha i ahau te whare o Hura, ka ora ano i ahau te whare o Hohepa, ka whakahokia ki te nohoanga; no te mea ka tohungia ratou e ahau, a me te mea kihai ratou i peia e ahau; ko ahau hoki, ko Ihowa, to ratou Atua, ka whakarongo ano ahau ki a ra tou.

I will give strength to the family of Judah. I will save the family of Joseph, and I will bring them back, because I have loving-pity on them. They will be as if I had not turned away from them. For I am the Lord their God, and I will answer them.

7 N a ka rite nga Eparaimi ki te marohirohi, ka koa ano to ratou ngakau me te mea na te waina: ka kite ano a ratou tamariki, a ka koa; ka whakamanamana to ratou ngakau ki a Ihowa.

Ephraim will be like a powerful man. Their hearts will be glad as with wine. And their children will see it and be glad. Their hearts will have joy in the Lord.

8 K a hi ahau ki a ratou, ka huihui i a ratou; kua hokona hoki ratou e ahau; a ka tini ratou, ka pera me ratou i tini ra.

I will call them together, for I have saved them and set them free. And they will be as many as they were before.

9 A ka whakatokia ratou e ahau ki roto ki nga iwi, ka mahara ano ratou ki ahau i nga whenua tawhiti, ka ora hoki ratou me a ratou tamariki, a ka hoki.

Even when I send them everywhere among the nations, they will remember Me in far countries. They and their children will live and return.

10 K a whakahokia mai ano ratou e ahau i te whenua o Ihipa, ka huihuia mai i Ahiria; ka kawea ano ki te whenua o Kireara, ki Repanona, te kitea he wahi mo ratou.

I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon until there is no more room for them.

11 N a ka tika atu ia i waenga moana, ara i te raruraru, a ka patu i nga ngaru i te moana, ka maroke hoki nga wahi hohonu o te awa, a ka riro iho te whakapehapeha o Ahiria, ka riro ke ano te hepeta o Ihipa.

When they pass through the sea of trouble, I will hold back the waves in the sea. The whole Nile River will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and Egypt will lose its power.

12 K a whakakahangia ano ratou e ahau i runga i a Ihowa; ka haereere hoki ratou i runga i tona ingoa, e ai ta Ihowa.

I will make My people Israel strong in the Lord, and they will walk in His name,” says the Lord.