ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 FALAITE SEPITEMA 8

Miserable Comforters

Kau Fakafiemalie Fakamamahi

JOB 16:1-2

THEN JOB ANSWERED AND SAID: "I HAVE HEARD MANY SUCH THINGS: MISERABLE COMFORTERS ARE YOU ALL."

SIOPE 16:1-2

1 PEA tali ‘a Siope, ‘o ne pehē, 2 Kuo u fiu ‘i he fanongo me‘a pehē: Ko e tu‘unga fakalelu langa‘i mamahi homou kotoa.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e ngaahi kaungame’a ‘e toko tolu ‘o Siope, na’a nau omi ke “fakamamahi mo ia, mo fai ha fakalelu”, na’e lelei ‘i he taimi na’a nau fakalongo ai pe mo Siope (2:11-13). Ka ko e taimi ‘o e kamata ke nau leaa, pea mo’oni e leaa, “ka pehee leva e kaume’aa, pea ‘oku ‘ikai toe fiema’u ha fili ia.” Na’e tonu pe ‘a e lea na’e ‘ai ‘e Siope kiate kinautolu; “Ko e ‘amala [tu‘unga fakalelu langa‘i mamahi]  homou kotoa.”  Ko e ‘amala, ko e “mamahi, hoha’a, masiva, fakalavea.” Na’e pahee ‘e he tokotaha fekau’aki mo Siope, “Ko kinautolu ‘oku ngoue ‘aki ‘a e ‘amala [kovi’], Mo kinautolu ‘oku tō ‘a e ‘amala [fakamamahi], Ko kinautolu ‘oku utu ‘a e me‘a ko ia” (4:8). ‘Ikai ko ia pe,ka ne toe pehee, “He na‘e fā‘ele‘i ‘a e tangata ki he ‘amala [mamahi], Hangē ‘oku puna hake ‘a e ngaahi kalofiama" (5:7). Na’e pehee ange ‘e he tokotaha, kapau ‘e vete ‘e Siope ‘ene angahala fai ‘i he lilo, te ne fakangalo’i hono ngaahi ‘amala [mamahi]. Ko e ngaahi kaume’a ko eni, na’a nau tanaki ‘amala [fakamamahi] pe kia Siope. 

Ko ha toki kaume‘a fungani ka ko Sisu, "ko e ngaahi mahaki  ‘atautolu na‘e fua ‘e he toko taha ko ia, pea ko ‘etau ngaahi mamahi na‘a ne hilifaki kiate ia" (‘Aisea 53:4). ‘Ikai ko ia pe, ka, "Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e ‘amala [mamahi] ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia” (v. 11). Ko e Taukapo fai manava’ofa ‘oku tau fiema’u.

‘E ‘Otua, “Kuo ke sio ki ai; he ‘oku vakai‘i ‘e he ‘Afiona ‘a e ongosia mo e hoha‘a;

Koe‘uhi ke ala ki ai ho nima; ‘Oku tuku ‘e he vaivai ‘enau me‘a kiate koe, He ko koe ai pē ‘a e tokoni ‘o e tamai mate" (Saame 10:14).

[ENGLISH]

Job's three friends, who came "to show him sympathy and comfort him," did well while they sat together with him in the brotherhood of silence (2:11-13). The more each of them spoke, however, the more it became painfully obvious that, with friends like that, who needs enemies? Job sums them up well: "amal ['miserable'] comforters are you all." Amal means "trouble, anxiety, need, harm." One friend, implying Job was being punished, told him those who "sow amal reap the same" (4:8). He added, "man is born to amal, as the sparks fly upward" (5:7). Another told Job that, if he would repent of his secret iniquity, he would soon forget his amal (11:6). Such "friends" only added more amal to Job's life-"miserable/troublesome comforters" indeed!

What a true friend we have in Jesus, for he has "borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isa. 53:4). What's more, "out of the amal ['anguish'] of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities" (v. 11). He is the compassionate comforter we need!

O Lord, "you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless" (Ps. 10:14).