Whakatauki 23
1 Ki te noho tahi korua ko te rangatira ki te kai, ata whakaaroa marietia tera i tou aroaro:
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
2 Whakapakia he maripi ki tou korokoro, ki te mea he tangata kakai koe.
put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Kaua e hiahia ki ana mea reka: he kai tinihanga hoki era.
Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
4 Kaua e taruke ki te mea taonga: kati tau mea ki tou matauranga.
Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
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.
Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
6 Kaua e kainga te kai a te tangata kanohi kino, kei minamina hoki koe ki ana mea reka.
Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
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 as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Ko te kongakonga i kainga e koe, ka ruakina e koe, ka maumauria ano hoki au kupu reka.
You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
9 Kaua e korero ki nga taringa o te kuware; ka whakahawea hoki ia ki te whakaaro nui o au kupu.
Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Kei whakanekehia e koe te rohe tawhito; kei haere koe ki nga mara a te pani:
Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 No te mea he kaha to ratou kaiwhakaora; ka tohea e ia ta ratou tohe ki a koe.
for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
12 Anga atu tou ngakau ki te ako, me ou taringa ki nga kupu o te matauranga.
Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the 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 withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol. (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 your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
16 Ae ra, ka hari oku whatumanawa, ina korero ou ngutu i nga mea tika.
Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Kei hae tou ngakau ki te hunga hara; engari kia wehi koe ki a Ihowa, a pau noa te ra.
Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
18 He pono hoki tera ano he whakautu; e kore ano hoki tau i tumanako ai e hatepea atu.
Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Whakarongo ra, e taku tama, kia whai whakaaro hoki koe, a whakatikaia tou ngakau i te ara.
Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
20 Kei uru ki te hunga kakai waina; ki te hunga pukukai kikokiko:
Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on 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 the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22 Whakarongo ki tou papa nana koe; kaua hoki e whakahawea ki tou whaea ina ruruhi ia.
Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
23 Hokona te pono, kaua hoki e whakawhitiwhitia; ae ra, te whakaaro nui, te ako hoki, me te matauranga.
Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, 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.
The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
25 Kia hari tou papa raua ko tou whaea, ina, kia koa te wahine i whanau ai koe.
Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
26 E taku tama, homai tou ngakau ki ahau, kia manako ano hoki ou kanohi ki aku ara.
My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
27 No te mea he rua hohonu te wahine kairau; he poka kuiti te wahine ke.
For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Ae ra, ka whanga ia ano he kaipahua, a ka whakatokomahatia e ia nga tangata poka ke.
Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
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 has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has 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 stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
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 look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
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 snake, and poisons like a viper.
33 E kite hoki ou kanohi i nga mea rereke, a ka puta he kupu rereke i tou ngakau.
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
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.
Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:
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.
“They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”
