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 cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking odour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
2 Kei tona ringa matau te ngakau o te tangata whakaaro nui; kei tona maui ia te ngakau o te wairangi.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart is at his left.
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.
Also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
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 spirit of the ruler riseth against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
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, as an error which proceedeth from the 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.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
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 upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
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 that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
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.
Whoever removeth stones shall be hurt by them; and he that cutteth wood shall be endangered by it.
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 is blunt, and he doth not whet the edge, then must he use more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Ki te ngau te nakahi i te mea kiano i whakawaia, kahore hoki he painga o te kaiwhakawai.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
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 gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13 Ko te timatanga o nga kupu a tona mangai he wairangi; ko te mutunga o tana korero, he haurangi, he he.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
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?
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell 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 labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 Aue, te mate mou, e te whenua he tamaiti nei tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te ata!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat 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.
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
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.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
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 made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
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.
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
