1¶ Na ka whakautu a Pirirara Huhi, ka mea,
1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
2Kia pehea ake te roa o tau korero i enei mea? Kia pehea ake te roa o nga kupu a tou mangai e rite ai ki te hau kaha?
2“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3E whakaparori ke ranei te Atua i te whakawa? E whakaparori ke ranei te Kaha Rawa i te tika?
3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4Ki te mea i hara au tamariki ki a ia, a kua maka atu ratou e ia hei utu mo to ratou he;
4If your children have sinned against him, He has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
5Ki te rapu wawe koe i to Atua, a ka inoi ki te Kaha Rawa;
5If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
6Ki te mea he ma koe, he tika, ina, ka ara ake ia ki a koe aianei, ka manaakitia ano e ia te nohoanga o tou tika.
6If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
7Ahakoa i iti tou timatanga, e nui noa atu tou whakamutunga.
7Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
8¶ Tena ra, ui atu ki to mua whakatupuranga; anga atu hoki ki te mea kua rapua e o ratou matua.
8“Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
9Nonanahi nei hoki tatou, kahore hoki e mohio; he atarangi nei hoki o tatou ra i runga i te whenua;
9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
10E kore ranei ratou e whakaako i a koe, e korero ki a koe, e puaki mai ranei he kupu i o ratou ngakau?
10Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
11E tupu ranei te wiwi i te mea kahore he repo? E nui ranei te raupo ki te kahore he wai?
11“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
12I te mea he kaiota tonu, a kihai i tapahia, kua maroke i mua ake i nga otaota katoa.
12While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
13Ka pera ano nga ara o te hunga katoa e wareware ana ki te Atua, a ka riro ki te kore ta te tangata whakaponokore i tumanako ai.
13So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man shall perish,
14Ka motuhia atu tana i whakamanawa atu ai, ko te whare hoki o te pungawerewere hei tumanakohanga mona.
14Whose confidence shall break apart, Whose trust is a spider’s web.
15Ka okioki atu ia ki tona whare; heoi e kore e tu: u tonu tana pupuri atu, otiia e kore e mau.
15He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand. He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.
16E matomato ana i te mea kahore nei te ra, a e wana ana ona peka i tana kari.
16He is green before the sun. His shoots go forth over his garden.
17Kapi tonu te puranga i ona pakiaka, e kitea ana e ia te wahi kamaka.
17His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
18Ki te whakamotitia iho ia i tona wahi, ka whakakahore taua wahi ki a ia, ka mea, Kahore ahau i kite i a koe.
18If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19Nana, ko te hari tenei o tona ara, a ka tupu ake etahi atu i roto i te puehu.
19Behold, this is the joy of his way: out of the earth, others shall spring.
20¶ Nana, e kore te Atua e whakakahore ki te tangata tika, e kore ano e puritia e ia te ringa o nga tangata kino.
20“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21Tera ano tou mangaika whakakiia e ia ki te kata, ou ngutu ki te hamama.
21He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
22He whakama te kakahu mo te hunga e kino ana ki a koe, a ka kahore noa iho te tapenakara o te hunga kino.
22Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked shall be no more.”