¹And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

¹¶ Ano ra ko Topara Naamati; i mea ia,

²Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

²Kaua ranei hei whakautua te tini o nga kupu? A e whakatikaia ranei te tangata ngutu hohoro?

³Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

³Ma au kupu whakapehapeha ranei e nohopuku ai nga tangata? A, ina tawai koe, kaua ranei he tangata e mea i a koe kia whakama?

⁴And thou sayest, `Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.`

⁴E mea ana hoki koe, He tino tika taku whakaako, a he ma ahau ki ou kanohi.

⁵And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

⁵Aue, me i korero te Atua, me i puaki mai ona ngutu ki te whakahe i a koe!

⁶And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.

⁶Me i whakaaturia mai e ia ki a koe nga mea ngaro o te matauranga, te huhua o nga ara o tana mahi! Na kia matau koe, he iti iho i ou he ta te Atua e tango nei i a koe.

⁷By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

⁷¶ Ina whakatakina e koe, e kitea ranei e koe te Atua? E tino kitea rawatia ranei e koe te Kaha Rawa?

⁸Heights of the heavens! — what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! — what knowest thou?

⁸Kei te rangi te tiketike; ka pehea koe? Hohonu iho i te reinga; ko te aha e mohiotia e koe?

⁹Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.

⁹Ko tona takoto, roa atu i te whenua, whanui atu i te moana.

¹⁰If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

¹⁰Ki te mea ka haukotia e ia, ka herehera ranei, ka whakawakia ranei, ma wai ia e arai?

¹¹For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!

¹¹E mohio ana hoki ia ki nga tangata teka noa; a e kite ana ia i te he, ahakoa e kore e whakaaroa e ia.

¹²And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

¹²Otiia ko te mea whakaarokore nei, ko te tangata kahore rawa ona hinengaro, ae ra, to te tangata rite i tona whanautanga kei te kuao kaihe mohoao.

¹³If thou — thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

¹³¶ Ki te whakatikaia e koe tou ngakau, a ka wherahia ou ringa ki a ia;

¹⁴If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

¹⁴Ki te mea he he kei tou ringa, whakamataratia atu, kaua hoki te kino e noho ki ou tapenakara;

¹⁵For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

¹⁵He pono ko reira ara ai tou mata, te ai he ira; ae, ka u hoki koe, te ai he wehi:

¹⁶For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

¹⁶Tera hoki koe e wareware ki tou mauiui; a e maharatia e koe ano ko nga wai kua rere atu.

¹⁷And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest — as the morning thou art.

¹⁷A ko tou ora tera e marama ke atu i to te poutumarotanga o ate ra; a ahakoa e pouri ano, ka rite ki te ata.

¹⁸And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched — in confidence thou liest down,

¹⁸Ka tatu ou whakaaro, no te mea ka whai tumanakohanga atu; ae, ka rapu koe i tetahi taha ou, i tetahi taha, a ka takoto marire koe.

¹⁹And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

¹⁹E takoto iho ano koe, te ai he kaiwhakawehi; he tokomaha ano hoki e whai kia paingia e koe.

²⁰And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!

²⁰Ka poko ia nga kanohi o te hunga kino, kore ake he rerenga mo ratou; ko ta ratou e tumanako atu ai ko te hemonga.