Whakatauki 18
1 Ko te tangata tu ke, e whai ana i ta tona ake hiahia, e ngangau ana ki nga whakaaro totika katoa.
Selfish people only please themselves, they attack anything that makes good sense.
2 Kahore o te whakaarokore ahuareka ki te matauranga; engari kia whakakitea e ia tona ngakau.
Stupid people have no interest in trying to understand, they only want to express their opinions.
3 I te taenga mai o te tangata kino ka tae mai ano te whakahawea, me te tawai hei hoa mo te whakama.
With wickedness comes contempt; with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 He wai hohonu nga kupu a te mangai o te tangata; he awa e rere ana te puna o te whakaaro nui.
People's words can be profound like deep waters, a gushing stream that is the source of wisdom.
5 Ehara i te mea pai te whakapai ki te kanohi o te tangata kino, te whakapeau ke ranei i ta te tangata tika ina whakawa.
It's not right to show favoritism to the guilty and rob the innocent of justice.
6 E uru ana nga ngutu o te whakaarokore ki te totohe, e karanga ana tona mangai ki nga whiu.
What stupid people say gets them into fights, as if they're asking for a beating.
7 Hei hunga ano mona te mangai o te whakaarokore; a ko ona ngutu hei rore mo tona wairua.
Stupid people are caught out by what they say; their own words trap them.
8 Ano he kai reka nga kupu a te kawe korero; tae tonu iho ki nga wahi o roto rawa o te kopu.
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
9 Ko te tangata ano hoki e mangere ana ki tana mahi, hei teina ia ki te tangata maumau.
Laziness and destruction are brothers.
10 Hei pourewa kaha te ingoa o Ihowa; rere ana te tangata tika ki reira, a ora ake.
The Lord is a protective tower that good people can run to and be safe.
11 Ko nga rawa o te tangata taonga hei pa kaha mona, hei pa tiketike ki tona whakaaro.
Rich people see their wealth as a fortified town—it's like a high wall in their imagination.
12 I mua ake o te whakangaromanga ka whakakake te ngakau o te tangata; i mua ake ano hoki o te honore ko te ngakau papaku.
Pride leads to destruction; humility goes before honor.
13 Ko te tangata e whakahoki kupu ana i te mea kahore ano ia i rongo noa, he mahi wairangi tera nana, he hanga whakama.
Replying before hearing is stupidity and shame.
14 E whakamanawanui te wairua o te tangata ki tona mate; tena ko te wairua maru, ko wai e kaha ki tera?
With a brave spirit you can put up with sickness, but if it's crushed, you can't bear it.
15 Ka whiwhi te ngakau o te tangata matau ki te mohio; e rapu ana hoki te taringa o nga whakaaro nui ki te mohio.
An intelligent mind acquires knowledge; the wise are ready to hear knowledge.
16 Ma te mea tuku noa a te tangata ka watea ai he wahi mona, ka kawea hoki ia e tera ki te aroaro o nga tangata nunui.
A gift opens doors for you, and gets you into the presence of important people.
17 Ko te tangata nana te kupu tuatahi i te whakawa me te mea kei a ia te tika; na ka haere mai tona hoa, kei te rapu i te tikanga o tana.
The first person to plead a case sounds right until someone comes to cross-examine them.
18 Ma te rota e mutu ai nga tautohe, a ko tera hei tauarai i waenganui o te hunga kaha.
Casting lots can end disputes and decide between powerful people.
19 Ko te tuakana, teina ranei, i whakatakariritia, pakeke atu i te pa kaha: a ko aua tu ngangare me he tutaki tatau no te whare rangatira.
A brother you've offended is harder to win back than a fortified town. Arguments keep people apart like bars on the doors of a fortress.
20 Ka ki te kopu o te tangata i nga hua o tona mangai, ka makona ia i nga hua o ona ngutu.
Make sure you're satisfied with what you say—you have to live with your words.
21 Ko te mate, ko te ora kei te arero: ko te hunga e aroha ana ki tera ka kai i ona hua.
What you say has the power to bring life or to kill; those who love talking will have to deal with the consequences.
22 Ko te tangata kua kite i te wahine mana, kua kite i te mea pai, kua whiwhi hoki ki ta Ihowa whakapai.
If you find a wife, that's great, and you'll be blessed by the Lord.
23 He inoi ta te rawakore hanga; he taikaha ia te whakahoki a te tangata taonga.
The poor beg for mercy, but the rich reply harshly.
24 Ko te tangata tini nga hoa aroha e whai ana i te he mona; tera ano ia te hoa aroha, nui atu i to te tuakana, i to te teina, tona piri mai.
Some friends give up on you, but there's a friend who stays closer to you than a brother.
