Ecclesiastes 10
1 As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Ma nga ngaro mate ka piro whakahouhou ai te hinu a te kaiwhakananu: ka pera ano te whakaaro nui me te ingoa nui, he iti noa te wairangi mana e tami.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
Kei tona ringa matau te ngakau o te tangata whakaaro nui; kei tona maui ia te ngakau o te wairangi.
3 Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
Ae ra hoki, ka haere te wairangi i te ara, ka taka ona mahara, a ka korero ia ki nga tangata katoa he wairangi ia.
4 If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
Ki te ara te wairua o te rangatira, he riri ki a koe, kaua tou wahi e whakarerea; ka ai hoki te whakangawari hei whakamarie mo nga hara nui.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
Tenei tetahi kino i kitea e ahau i raro i te ra, e rite tonu ana ki te he i puta mai i te rangatira.
6 Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
Ko te wairangi e whakanohoia ana ki runga ki nga wahi tiketike rawa, a ko nga tangata taonga e noho ana i te wahi i raro.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
I kite ahau i nga kaimahi i runga i te hoiho, a ko nga rangatira e haere ana, ano he kaimahi, i runga i te whenua.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Ko te tangata e keri ana i te rua, ka taka ano ki roto; ko te tangata e wahi ana i te taiepa, ka ngaua e te nakahi.
9 The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
Ko te tangata e tarai ana i nga kohatu, ka mamae ano i reira; ko te tangata e tata ana i te rakau, ka ora noa ano i reira.
10 If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
Ki te puhuki te rino, a kahore e whakakoia te mata, kia nui ake ano tona kaha; he pai ia nga whakaaro nui hei whakatikatika.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
Ki te ngau te nakahi i te mea kiano i whakawaia, kahore hoki he painga o te kaiwhakawai.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
He ataahua nga kupu a te mangai o te tangata whakaaro nui; tena ko te wairangi ka horomia a ia ano e ona ngutu.
13 The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
Ko te timatanga o nga kupu a tona mangai he wairangi; ko te mutunga o tana korero, he haurangi, he he.
14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
He maha ano hoki nga kupu a te wairangi: engari e kore te tangata e mohio ko te aha e puta mai. Na, ko nga mea e puta mai i muri i a ia, ma wai ra e whakaatu ki a ia?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
Hoha iho nga wairangi i tana mahi i tana mahi: e kore nei hoki ia e matau ki te haere ki te pa.
16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
Aue, te mate mou, e te whenua he tamaiti nei tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te ata!
17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
Ka hari koe, e te whenua, he tamaiti nei no nga rangatira tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te wa e tika ai, hei mea whakakaha, ehara i te mea hei whakahaurangi.
18 Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
Ma te mangere ka totohu iho ai te tuanui o te whare; ma te ngoikore ano o nga ringa ka tuturu ai te whare.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
Hei mea mo te kata te hakari i tukua ai, he mea whakahari ano te waina; a ma te hiriwa ka rite ai nga mea katoa.
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
Kaua e kanga te kingi, kaua rawa i roto i tou whakaaro; kaua hoki e kanga te tangata taonga i roto i tou whare moenga: no te mea ka kawea te reo e tetahi manu o te rangi, ka korerotia hoki taua mea e tetahi mea whai parirau.
