1 T hen Job answered and said:

Na ka whakautu a Hopa, ka mea,

2 “ No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!

He tika rawa ko koutou nga tangata, a ka mate tahi atu te whakaaro nui me koutou.

3 B ut I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

Otira kei ahau ano hoki he ngakau, he pera ano me o koutou, kihai ahau i hoki iho i a koutou: ko wai ra te he ana ki enei mea?

4 “ I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.

Toku rite kei te tangata e waiho ana hei kata ma tona hoa, he tangata e karanga ana ki te Atua, a whakarongo mai ana tera ki a ia: e waiho ana te mea tika, te mea tapatahi, hei kata.

5 A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; It is made ready for those whose feet slip.

Kei roto i te whakaaro o te tangata, e tau ana tana noho, te whakahawea ki te aitua; e tauwhanga ana tena ki te hunga e paheke ana te waewae.

6 T he tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure— In what God provides by His hand.

Kei te rangatira nga teneti o nga kaipahua, a noho kore wehi ana te hunga e whakapataritari ana ki te Atua; he ope noa mai hoki ta te Atua ki o ratou ringa.

7 “ But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

Tena ra, ui atu ki nga kararehe, ma ratou koe e whakaako; ki nga manu o te rangi, ma ratou e korero ki a koe;

8 O r speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.

Korero atu ranei ki te whenua, a mana koe e whakaako; ka whakaaturia mai ano hoki ki a koe e nga ika o te moana.

9 W ho among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this,

Ko wai i kore te mohio ki enei mea katoa, he mea mahi tenei na te ringa o Ihowa?

10 I n whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

Kei tona ringa nei te wairua o nga mea ora katoa, te manawa hoki o nga kikokiko tangata katoa.

11 D oes not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?

He teka ianei e whakamatauria ana nga kupu e te taringa, pera hoki i te waha e whakarongo nei ki te reka o tana kai?

12 W isdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.

Kei nga kaumatua nga whakaaro nui; kei te roa o nga ra te matau.

13 “ With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.

Kei a ia te whakaaro nui me te kaha; kei a ia te tohutohu me te matauranga.

14 I f He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.

Nana, e wawahia ana e ia, kore iho e hanga ano; e kopia ana e ia te tangata, kahore rawa he putanga.

15 I f He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.

Nana, e unuhia atu ana e ia nga wai, a kua maroke; e tukua mai ana ano e ia, a ka hurihia te whenua.

16 W ith Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

Kei a ia te kaha me te mahi totika; ko te tangata tinihanga me te tangata e tinihangatia ana, nana.

17 H e leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.

E kahakina atu ana e ia nga kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro, he mea pahua; whakakuwaretia iho e ia nga kaiwhakawa.

18 H e loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.

Ko te mana o nga kingi, wetekina ake e ia, herea iho e ia o ratou hope ki te whitiki.

19 H e leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty.

E arahina atu ana e ia nga tohunga, he mea pahua, hurihia iho e ia te hunga kaha.

20 H e deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.

Whakakorea ake e ia he kupu ma te hunga ngakau pono, riro ana i a ia nga mahara o nga kaumatua.

21 H e pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty.

E ringihia ana e ia te whakahawea ki runga ki nga rangatira, e wetekina ana e ia te whitiki o te hunga kaha.

22 H e uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.

E hurahia mai ana e ia nga mea hohonu i roto i te pouri, whakaputaina mai ana e ia te atarangi o te mate ki te marama.

23 H e makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.

E whakanuia ana e ia nga iwi, a e huna ana e ia; e tohatohaina atu ana e ia nga iwi, a e whakawhaititia mai ana ano ratou e ia.

24 H e takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.

E tangohia atu ana e ia te ngakau o nga rangatira o te iwi o te whenua, a e meinga ana e ia kia kopikopiko noa i te wahi ururua kahore nei he ara.

25 T hey grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

Whawha noa ratou i roto i te pouri, kahore hoki he marama, a meinga ana ratou e ia kia hurori haere ano he tangata haurangi.