1 T hen Elihu said,

I korero ano hoki a Erihu, i mea,

2 “ Hear my words, you wise men. Listen to me, you who know.

Whakarongo ki aku kupu, e te hunga whakaaro nui; kia whai taringa ki ahau, e te hunga mohio.

3 F or the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.

E whakamatau ana hoki te taringa i te kupu, e pera ana me ta te mangai ki te reka o te kai.

4 L et us choose for ourselves what is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

Ko ta tatou e whiriwhiri ai ma tatou ko te mea tika: kia mohiotia hoki e tatou, e tenei, e tenei, ko te aha te mea pai.

5 F or Job has said, ‘I am right and good, but God has taken away my right.

Kua mea nei hoki a Hopa, He tika taku, a kua whakapeaua ketia e te Atua te whakawa moku:

6 W ould I lie about my right? I have been hurt so that I cannot be healed, but I have done no wrong.’

Ahakoa kei ahau te tika ka kiia ahau he tangata teka; e kore e mahu toku werohanga, ahakoa kahore oku he.

7 W hat man is like Job, who drinks up words against him like water?

Ko wai te tangata e rite ki a Hopa, me te mea he wai te tawai e inumia ana e ia?

8 H e goes among those who do wrong, and walks with sinful men.

Kua uru nei ki te tira o nga kaimahi i te he, a e haere tahi ana me nga tangata kikino.

9 F or he has said, ‘A man gets nothing by trying to please God.’

Kua mea hoki ia, Kahore he painga ki te tangata ki te ahuareka atu ia ki te Atua.

10 “ So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do what is sinful, and from the All-powerful to do wrong.

No reira whakarongo mai ki ahau, e nga tangata ngakau mohio: e kore rawa te Atua e mahi i te kino; e kore rawa hoki te Kaha Rawa e mahi i te he.

11 F or He pays a man by the work he does. He will see that a man is paid for what he does.

Ka utua hoki e ia te tangata mo tana mahi, ka rite hoki ki to te tangata ara nga mea e whakawhiwhia e ia ki a ia.

12 F or sure God will not do wrong. The All-powerful will not turn what is right into sin.

Tika rawa, e kore te Atua e kino, e kore ano hoki te Kaha Rawa e whakaputa ke i te whakawa.

13 W ho gave Him the power over the earth? Who gave Him the whole world to take care of?

Na wai ia i mea hei kaitirotiro mo te whenua? Na wai hoki i whakatakoto nga tikanga mo te ao katoa?

14 I f He should take back His spirit and His breath,

Ki te anga mai tona ngakau ki te tangata, ki te kohia atu e ia ki a ia tona wairua me tona manawa;

15 a ll flesh would die together, and man would return to dust.

Ka hemo ngatahi nga kikokiko katoa, a ka hoki ano te tangata ki te puehu.

16 “ If you have understanding, hear this. Listen to what I say.

Na ki te mea he ngakau mohio tou, whakarongo ki tenei; kia whai taringa mai ki te reo o aku kupu.

17 S hould one who hates what is right be the one to rule? Will you say that He Who is right and good and strong is guilty?

E whai kingitanga ranei tetahi kotahi e kino ana ki te tika? E whakakino ranei koe ki te tangata tika, kaha hoki?

18 W ho says to a king, ‘You are of no worth,’ and to rulers, ‘You are sinful’?

E tau ana ranei te mea atu ki te kingi, He weriweri koe? ki nga rangatira ranei, He kino koutou?

19 W ho shows no favor to princes, or thinks of the rich as more important than the poor? They are all the work of His hands.

Kia iti rawa iho ki a ia e kore nei e whakapai ki te kanohi o nga rangatira, e kore nei e hira ake tona pai ki te hunga whai rawa i nga rawakore? No te mea he mahi ratou katoa na ona ringa.

20 I n a short time they die. At midnight the people are shaken and pass away. And the powerful are taken away by no human hand.

Kihai i aha kua mate ratou, kua mate i waenganui po; ka wiri te iwi, ka pahemo atu, ka riro te hunga nunui, kahore hoki he ringa.

21 “ For God’s eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.

Kei runga hoki i nga ara o te tangata ona kanohi, e kitea ana e ia ona hikoinga katoa.

22 T here is no darkness or shadow where sinners can hide themselves.

Kahore he pouri, kahore he atarangi o te mate e piri ai nga kaimahi i te kino.

23 F or God does not need to set a time for man to go before Him and be judged.

E kore hoki e nui atu i te tika te mea e whakawaha e ia ki te tangata, e haere ai ia ki te aroaro o te Atua ki te whakawa.

24 H e breaks powerful men in pieces without asking any reason, and puts others in their place.

Ka wawahia e ia nga tangata nunui, te mohiotia nga ara, a whakaturia ake etahi atu i muri i a ratou.

25 F or He knows their works. He puts them down in the night, and they are crushed.

Na e mohio ana ia ki a ratou mahi; a hurihia ake ratou e ia i te po, a mongamonga noa ratou.

26 G od punishes them for their sin where everyone can see them.

He hunga kino ratou, pakia iho e ia i te tirohanga a te tangata;

27 B ecause they turned aside from following Him. They did not care about any of His ways.

Mo ratou i tahuri ke i te whai i a ia, kihai hoki i whakaaro ki tetahi o ona ara:

28 S o they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him. And He heard the cry of those in need.

Na ratou hoki i puta ai te tangi a te rawakore ki a ia, a rongo ana ia ki te tangi a te hunga e tukinotia ana.

29 W hen He keeps quiet, who can say He is wrong? When He hides His face, who can see Him? But He is over both nation and man.

Ki te meinga e ia kia ata noho, ko wai hei whakararuraru? A ki te huna e ia tona kanohi, ko wai e kite i a ia? ahakoa i meatia ki te iwi, ki te tangata ranei, rite tonu.

30 S o men without God should not rule and should not be a trap for the people.

Kore ake te whakaponokore e whai kingitanga, kore ake te iwi e mahangatia.

31 “ For has any one said to God, ‘I have suffered punishment, and will not cause any more trouble?

Kua mea atu ranei ki te Atua, Kua pehia ahau e te whiu, e kore ahau e mahi i te he a muri nei?

32 T each me what I cannot see. If I have sinned, I will do it no more’?

Ko te mea kihai i kitea e ahau mau e whakaatu mai ki ahau; ki te mea i mahi ahau i te he, ka mutu taku.

33 W ill God ask what you want to do, when you will not do what He says? You must decide, and not I. So tell what you know.

Kia rite ranei tana utu ki tau e mea ai, i whakakahoretia ai e koe? Mau te whiriwhiri, kahore maku: na mau e korero mai tau i mohio ai.

34 M en of understanding will say to me, and wise men who hear me say,

Ka korero mai nga tangata ngakau mahara ki ahau, ae ra, nga tangata whakaaro nui e whakarongo ana ki ahau:

35 ‘ Job speaks without much learning. His words are without wisdom.

Kahore he matauranga o Hopa i a ia i korero ra, kahore hoki he mahara i roto i ana kupu.

36 J ob should be tried to the end, because he answers like sinful men.

He pai me i whakamatauria a Hopa a te mutunga ra ano, mo ana kupu i whakahokia mai nei e ia, he mea i rite ki a nga tangata kikino.

37 T o his sin he adds a strong will against God. Making fun he claps his hands among us, and speaks many words against God.’”

E tapiritia ana hoki e ia te tutu ki runga ki tona hara, kei te pakipaki ia i ona ringa i waenganui i a tatou, a whakanuia ana e ia ana kupu kite Atua.