Whakatauki 17
1 Ko te maramara kai, ko te mea maroke me te ata noho hei kinaki, pai atu i te whare ki i nga hakari a te nganagare.
Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
2 Hei rangatira te pononga mahara mo te tama i whakama ai; ka whai wahi ano ia i roto i to nga teina.
A prudent servant, shall rule over a son who causeth shame, and, in the midst of brothers, shall he share the inheritance.
3 Ko te oko tahu para mo te hiriwa, ko te oumu mo te koura; ko Ihowa ia hei whakamatau mo nga ngakau.
Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
4 Ko te kaimahi i te he ka tahuri ki ta te ngutu kino; a ka whai taringa te teka ki ta te arero whanoke.
Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip, —Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying tongue.
5 Ko te taunu ki te rawakore he tawai ki tona Kaihanga: ko te tangata e koa ana ki nga aitua, e kore e kore te whiua.
He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
6 Hei karauna mo nga koroheke nga tamariki a nga tamariki: na, ko te kororia o nga tamariki ko o ratou matua.
The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment of children, is their fathers.
7 E kore te reo rangatira e tau ki te kuware: hore rawa ano hoki te ngutu teka ki te rangatira.
Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
8 Ko te tangata i te mea homai noa, he kohatu whakapaipai tera ki tana titiro; tona tahuritanga ake ki hea, ki hea, ka whiwhi ki te pai.
A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
9 Ko te tangata e hipoki ana i te he, e whai ana i te aroha; tena ko te tangata korerorero, e wehewehe ana i nga hoa tupu.
He that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate friends.
10 Ko te ngotonga o te kupu riri ki roto ki te tangata matau, nui atu i to nga whiu kotahi rau ki roto ki te whakaarokore.
A reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
11 He whakakeke kau ta te tangata kino e whai ai; no reira ka tukua atu he karere nanakia ki a ia.
Nothing less than rebellion, doth a wicked man seek, and, a relentless messenger, shall be sent out against him.
12 Kia tutaki ki te tangata te pea kua tangohia ana kuao; pai atu i te whakaarokore i a ia e wairangi ana.
Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
13 Ko te tangata e homai ana i te kino hei utu mo te pai, e kore te kino e neke atu i tona whare.
He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 Ko te timatanga o te totohe i rite ki te tangata e tuku ana i te wai kia rere: na reira waiho atu te totohe i te mea kiano i oho te ngangare.
A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
15 Ko te tangata e whakatika ana i ta te tangata kino, me ia e whakahe ana i ta te tangata tika, he rite tahi taua rua, he mea whakarihariha ki a Ihowa.
He that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
16 Hei aha te utu i te ringa o te kuware, hei hoko i te whakaaro nui, kahore nei hoki ona matauranga?
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a dullard? that he who is without sense, may acquire wisdom.
17 E aroha ana te hoa i nga wa katoa; na, ko te teina, ko te tuakana, i whanau tera mo nga aitua.
At all times, doth a friend love, and, a brother for distress, must be born.
18 Ko ta te tangata ngakaukore he papaki ringa; kua waiho hei whakakapi turanga i te aroaro o tona hoa.
A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, before his neighbour.
19 Ko te tangata e aroha ana ki te nganagare e aroha ana ki te kino; ko te tangata e whakarewa ana i tona kuwaha e rapu ana i te whakangaromanga.
A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
20 Ko te ngakau parori ke e kore e kite i te pai; ko te tangata he whanoke tona arero ka taka ki te kino.
The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
21 Ka whanau he whakaarokore ma tetahi tangata, hei whakapouri tera mona: e kore ano hoki e koa te papa o te poauau.
He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
22 He rongoa pai te ngakau koa; ki te maru ia te wairua, ka maroke nga wheua.
A joyful heart, worketh an excellent cure, —but, a stricken spirit, drieth up the bone.
23 E tango ana te tangata kino i te mea whakapati i te uma, hei whakapeau ke i nga ara o te whakarite whakawa.
A bribe out of his bosom, doth a lawless man take, to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Kei te aroaro o te tangata matau nga whakaaro nui; kei nga pito ia o te whenua nga kanohi o te whakaarokore.
Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in the ends of the earth.
25 Ko te tamaiti whakaarokore he mea whakapouri i tona papa, he mea whakakawa i te ngakau o tona whaea.
A vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
26 Ehara ano hoki i te mea pai kia whiua te tangata tika, kia patua ranei nga rangatira mo te tika.
Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
27 He matauranga to te tangata e tohu ana i ana kupu: a he whakaaro to te tangata i te wairua manawanui.
Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
28 Ko te wairangi nei ano, ki te whakarongo puku, ka kiia he whakaaro nui: ki te kokopi ona ngutu, ka kiia ia he tupato.
Even a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise, —He that closeth his lips, [is thought] to have understanding.
