Whakatauki 20
1 Ko ta te waina he whakahi, ko ta te wai kaha he ngangau: a, ko te hunga katoa e whakapohehetia ana e tera, kahore o ratou whakaaro nui.
Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
2 Ano he raiona e hamama ana te wehi o te kingi: ko te tangata e whakaoho ana i a ia kia riri, e hara ana ki tona wairua ake.
The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
3 He whakahonore mo te tangata te noho watea mai i te ngangare: engari ko nga wairangi he kowhetewhete tonu.
It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
4 Kahore te mangere e parau, he mea ki te hotoke; no reira ka pakiki kai mana i te kotinga witi, a kahore e whiwhi.
The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
5 He wai hohonu te whakaaro i roto i te ngakau o te tangata; e utuhia ano ia e te tangata matau.
The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
6 Ko ta te tini o te tangata he kauwhau i tona atawhai ake; ko wai ia e kite i te tangata pono?
Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
7 Ko te tangata tika, e haere ana i runga i tona tapatahi, ka manaakitia ana tamariki i muri i a ia.
An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
8 Ko te kingi e noho ana i runga i te torona whakawa, titaritaria ana e ona kanohi nga he katoa.
A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
9 Ko wai e mea, Kua ma i ahau toku ngakau, kua tahia atu oku hara?
Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
10 Ko nga pauna huhua, ko nga mehua huhua, he rite tahi taua rua, he mea whakarihariha anake ki a Ihowa.
Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.
11 He tamariki nei ano ka mohiotia ki ana hanga, he ma ranei, he tika ranei tana mahi.
Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.
12 Ko te taringa rongo, ko te kanohi titiro, na Ihowa raua ngatahi i hanga.
The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
13 Kaua e matenuitia te moe, kei rawakoretia koe; titiro ou kanohi, a ka makona koe i te taro.
Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
14 Ehara ehara, e ai ta te kaihoko: tona haerenga atu ia, kei te whakamanamana.
A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
15 He koura tena me te tini o te rupi; engari he taonga utu nui nga ngutu o te matauranga.
There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
16 Tangohia te kakahu o te kaiwhakakapi mo te tangata ke; puritia hoki te tangata i taunahatia hei whakakapi mo nga tangata ke.
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
17 He reka ki te tangata te taro o te teka; muri iho ka ki tona mangai i te kirikiri.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
18 Ma te runanga ka u ai nga whakaaro; kia pai hoki te ngarahu ina anga ki te whawhai.
Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.
19 Ko te tangata e kopikopiko ana ki te kawekawe korero, ka whakina e ia nga korero ngaro: na reira kaua e raweke atu ki te tangata ngutu hamama.
He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.
20 Ko te tangata e kanga ana i tona papa, i tona whaea, ka tineia tona rama i roto i te pouri kerekere.
If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.
21 I te timatanga e hohoro mai pea te taonga; e kore ia tona mutunga e whakapaingia.
A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.
22 Kaua e mea, Ka utua e ahau te kino: taria ta Ihowa, a kei a ia he oranga mou.
Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.
23 He mea whakarihariha ki a Ihowa nga taimaha rere ke; a e kore hoki te pauna tinihanga e pai.
Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
24 Na Ihowa nga haereerenga o te tangata: na ma te aha te tangata ka matau ai ki tona ara?
A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
25 Hei rore ki te tangata te oho noa ake ki te mea, He tapu! a, i muri i nga ki taurangi, kia uiui.
It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.
26 Ka titaritaria e te kingi whakaaro nui te hunga kino, a ka hurihia hoki e ia te wira patu witi ki runga ki a ratou.
A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.
27 He rama na Ihowa te manawa o te tangata, e rapu ana i nga mea katoa i roto rawa i te kopu.
The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.
28 Hei kaitiaki mo te kingi te atawhai me te pono; e tautokona ake ana hoki tona torona e te atawhai.
Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.
29 Ko te kororia o nga taitama ko to ratou kaha: a, ko te ataahua o nga kaumatua ko te upoko hina.
The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.
30 E tahia atu ana te kino e nga karawarawa o te patunga; a e tae rawa ana nga whiu ki nga wahi o roto rawa o te kopu.
By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.
