Kaikauwhau 10
1 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.
Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.
2 Kei tona ringa matau te ngakau o te tangata whakaaro nui; kei tona maui ia te ngakau o te wairangi.
The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
3 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.
And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
4 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.
If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.
5 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.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
6 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.
The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
7 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.
I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
8 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.
He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.
9 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.
He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
10 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.
If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.
11 Ki te ngau te nakahi i te mea kiano i whakawaia, kahore hoki he painga o te kaiwhakawai.
If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
12 He ataahua nga kupu a te mangai o te tangata whakaaro nui; tena ko te wairangi ka horomia a ia ano e ona ngutu.
The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
13 Ko te timatanga o nga kupu a tona mangai he wairangi; ko te mutunga o tana korero, he haurangi, he he.
The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
14 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?
The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?
15 Hoha iho nga wairangi i tana mahi i tana mahi: e kore nei hoki ia e matau ki te haere ki te pa.
The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
16 Aue, te mate mou, e te whenua he tamaiti nei tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te ata!
Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
17 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.
Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.
18 Ma te mangere ka totohu iho ai te tuanui o te whare; ma te ngoikore ano o nga ringa ka tuturu ai te whare.
When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
19 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.
A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
20 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.
Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
