Kaikauwhau 12
1 Kia mahara ra ki tou Kaihanga i nga ra o tou tamarikitanga, i te mea kahore ano kia tae noa mai nga ra o te kino, a kahore ano kia tata mai nga tau e ki ai koe, Kahore oku ahuareke ki enei tau;
Remember, also, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
2 I te mea kahore ano kia pouri noa te ra, te marama, te marama, me nga whetu, a kahore ano kia hoki mai nga kapua i muri i te ua:
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars become dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 I te ra e wiri ai nga kaitiaki o te whare, a ka piko iho nga tangata marohirohi, ka mutu ano hoki ta nga kaihuri, no te mea he torutoru ratou, ka pouri ano hoki nga mea e titiro mai nei i nga matapihi.
at the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened;
4 A ka tutakina nga tatau i te huarahi; a ka iti te haruru o te huri, a ka ara ake tetahi i te tangi o te manu, ka whakahokia iho hoki ki raro nga kotiro katoa o te waiata;
when the doors are shut in the streets, while the sound of the mill is low; when they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low;
5 Ae ra, ka wehi ratou i te mea tiketike, kei te huarahi hoki nga mea whakamataku; a ka puawai te aramona, ka taimaha ano hoki te mawhitiwhiti, ka iti haere te hiahia: ka haere nei hoki te tangata ki tona whare tuturu, a ka haereere nga kaitangi i nga huarahi:
when also they are afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, and the caper-berry is powerless; since man goeth to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; —
6 I te mea kahore ano kia mawheto noa te aho hiriwa, kia pakaru noa ranei te oko koura, kia pakaru ranei te haka ki te puna, kia pakaru te wira ki te poka wai;
before the silver cord be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be crushed, or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the wheel shattered at the well,
7 A ka hoki te puehu ki te whenua, ki tona ahua o mua, a ka hoki te wairua ki te Atua nana nei i homai.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
8 He horihori, he tino horihori, e ai ta te Kaikauwhau; he horihori te katoa.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity!
9 Na no te mea he tangata whakaaro nui te Kaikauwhau, koia i whakaakona tonutia ai e ia te iwi ki te matauranga; ae ra, i whakaaroaro ia, i rapu, a i ata whakatakotoria e ia nga whakatauki maha.
Moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he considered, and sought out, and set in order, many proverbs.
10 I whai te Kaikauwhau kia kitea nga kupu huatau: he mea tika ano te mea i tuhituhia, he kupu pono.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and to write correctly words of truth.
11 Ko nga kupu a te hunga whakaaro nui koia ano kei nga werowero, a ko nga kupu a nga kaihuihui o nga whakaminenga kei nga whao i titia kia mau, he mea i homai e te hepara kotahi.
The words of the wise are as goads; yea, as nails driven in are the words of members of assemblies, given by one shepherd.
12 A kia ai enei hei whakatupato i a koe, e taku tama; ko te tuhi i nga pukapuka maha kahore he mutunga; ki te nui hoki te ako ka mauiui te kikokiko.
And, moreover, by these, my son, be warned! To the multiplying of books there is no end, and much study wearieth the flesh.
13 Ko te whakamutunga tenei o te mea katoa; kua rangona katoatia; e wehi ki te Atua, puritia ana whakahau: ko nga mea katoa hoki enei hei mahi ma te tangata.
Let us hear the end of the whole discourse! Fear God and keep his commandments! For this is the duty of every man.
14 No te mea ka whakawakia nga mahi katoa e te Atua, te mea huna ano hoki, ahakoa pai, ahakoa kino.
For God will bring every work into the judgment which there is upon every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
