1 N a ka whakautu a Hopa, ka mea,

Then Job answered and said,

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

No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.

3 O tira 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?

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

4 T oku 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.

I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

5 K ei 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.

In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

6 K ei 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.

The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

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

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee:

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

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

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

Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,

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

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

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

Doth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food?

12 K ei nga kaumatua nga whakaaro nui; kei te roa o nga ra te matau.

With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding.

13 K ei a ia te whakaaro nui me te kaha; kei a ia te tohutohu me te matauranga.

With God is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.

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

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

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

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

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

With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

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

He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.

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

He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.

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

He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.

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

He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.

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

He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

22 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.

He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23 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.

He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

24 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.

He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

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

They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.