Whakatauki 23
1 Ki te noho tahi korua ko te rangatira ki te kai, ata whakaaroa marietia tera i tou aroaro:
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
2 Whakapakia he maripi ki tou korokoro, ki te mea he tangata kakai koe.
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
3 Kaua e hiahia ki ana mea reka: he kai tinihanga hoki era.
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
4 Kaua e taruke ki te mea taonga: kati tau mea ki tou matauranga.
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
5 E anga mai ranei ou kanohi ki taua mea korekore nei? He pono hoki ka whai parirau te taonga, koia ano kei te ekara, rere ana whaka te rangi.
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
6 Kaua e kainga te kai a te tangata kanohi kino, kei minamina hoki koe ki ana mea reka.
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
7 Ko tana hoki e mea ai i roto i a ia, pera tonu ia: E kai, e inu; koia tana kupu ki a koe; kahore ia ona ngakau ki a koe.
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
8 Ko te kongakonga i kainga e koe, ka ruakina e koe, ka maumauria ano hoki au kupu reka.
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
9 Kaua e korero ki nga taringa o te kuware; ka whakahawea hoki ia ki te whakaaro nui o au kupu.
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
10 Kei whakanekehia e koe te rohe tawhito; kei haere koe ki nga mara a te pani:
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
11 No te mea he kaha to ratou kaiwhakaora; ka tohea e ia ta ratou tohe ki a koe.
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
12 Anga atu tou ngakau ki te ako, me ou taringa ki nga kupu o te matauranga.
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
13 Kaua e tohungia te whiu ki te tamaiti: ki te patua hoki ia e koe ki te rakau, e kore ia e mate.
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 E taku tama, ki te whakaaro nui tou ngakau, ka koa hoki toku ngakau, ae ra, toku nei ano:
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
16 Ae ra, ka hari oku whatumanawa, ina korero ou ngutu i nga mea tika.
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
17 Kei hae tou ngakau ki te hunga hara; engari kia wehi koe ki a Ihowa, a pau noa te ra.
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
18 He pono hoki tera ano he whakautu; e kore ano hoki tau i tumanako ai e hatepea atu.
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
19 Whakarongo ra, e taku tama, kia whai whakaaro hoki koe, a whakatikaia tou ngakau i te ara.
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
20 Kei uru ki te hunga kakai waina; ki te hunga pukukai kikokiko:
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
21 No te mea ka tutuki tahi te tangata inu raua ko te tangata kakai ki te rawakore; he tawhetawhe hoki te kakahu a te momoe mo te tangata.
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
22 Whakarongo ki tou papa nana koe; kaua hoki e whakahawea ki tou whaea ina ruruhi ia.
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
23 Hokona te pono, kaua hoki e whakawhitiwhitia; ae ra, te whakaaro nui, te ako hoki, me te matauranga.
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Nui atu hoki te koa o te papa o te tangata tika; a, ko te tangata e whanau he tama whakaaro nui mana, ka hari ia ki a ia.
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
25 Kia hari tou papa raua ko tou whaea, ina, kia koa te wahine i whanau ai koe.
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
26 E taku tama, homai tou ngakau ki ahau, kia manako ano hoki ou kanohi ki aku ara.
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
27 No te mea he rua hohonu te wahine kairau; he poka kuiti te wahine ke.
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
28 Ae ra, ka whanga ia ano he kaipahua, a ka whakatokomahatia e ia nga tangata poka ke.
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
29 Ko wai e aue? Ko wai e tangi? Ko wai e totohe? Ko wai e ngangautia? Ko wai e maru, he mea takekore? Ko wai e whero tonu ona kanohi?
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
30 Ko te hunga e noho roa ana ki te waina; ko te hunga e haere ana ki te rapu i te waina whakaranu.
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
31 Kaua e titiro ki te waina i te mea e whero ana, ina puta tona kara i roto i te kapu, ina mania tona heke.
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
32 Tona tukunga iho ano he nakahi e ngau ana, koia ano kei te wero a te neke.
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
33 E kite hoki ou kanohi i nga mea rereke, a ka puta he kupu rereke i tou ngakau.
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
34 Ae ra, ka rite koe ki te tangata e takoto ana i waenga moana, ki te tangata ranei e takoto ana i te tihi o te rewa.
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
35 A ka mea koe, Patua ana ahau e ratou, a kihai ahau i mamae; tatatia ana ahau e ratou, a kihai ahau i mohio: a hea ahau ara ake ai? Ka rapua ano e ahau.
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
