Whakatauki 25
1 He whakatauki ano enei na Horomona, he mea tuhi e nga tangata a Hetekia kingi o Hura.
These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 Ko to te Atua whakakororia, he hunga mea; ko to nga kingi whakakororia he rapu mea.
God's greatness is in doing things that can't be known, while the greatness of kings is in revealing things.
3 Ko te rangi mo te tiketike, ko te whenua mo te hohonu, a ko te ngakau o nga kingi, te taea te rapu.
Just as the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth can't be known, the king's thinking can't be known.
4 Tahia atu te para i te hiriwa, a ka puta mai he oko ma te kaitahi para:
Remove the waste from the silver, and the silversmith has pure silver to work with.
5 Tangohia atu te tangata kino i te aroaro o te kingi, a ka u tona torona i runga i te tika.
Remove the wicked from the king's presence and the king will rule securely and justly.
6 Kei whakaputa i a koe ki mua i te aroaro o te kingi, kei tu hoki ki te wahi o nga metararahi.
Don't try to make yourself look great before the king, and don't pretend to be among the important people,
7 He pai he hoki kia kiia mai ki a koe, Haere mai ki runga nei; i te mea kia whakahokia iho koe ki raro i te aroaro o te rangatira i kitea nei e ou kanohi.
for it's better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be humiliated before a nobleman. Even though you've seen something with your own eyes,
8 Kei hohoro te haere ki te ngangare, kei kore e kitea e koe tau e mea ai i tona mutunga iho, ina meinga koe e tou hoa kia whakama.
don't rush to take legal action, for what are you going to do in the end when your neighbor shows you're wrong and humiliates you?
9 Tohea tau tohe ki tou hoa tonu, a kaua e whakina te mea hunga a tetahi:
Discuss the case with your neighbor himself, and don't betray someone else's secret,
10 Kei kohukohutia koe e te tangata i rongo, a kore ake tou ingoa kino e tahuri atu.
otherwise whoever hears it will make you ashamed and you'll never lose your bad reputation.
11 He kupu i tika te korero, ko tona rite kei nga a poro koura i roto i nga kete hiriwa.
Advice given at the right time is like golden apples set in silver.
12 He pera i te whakakai koura, i te whakapaipai koura parakore koia ano te ako a te whakaaro nui ki te taringa rongo.
Constructive criticism from the wise to someone who listens is like a gold ring and a necklace of fine gold.
13 Rite tonu ki te matao o te hukarere i te kotinga witi te karere pono ki ona kaingare; ka ora hoki i a ia te ngakau o ona ariki.
Faithful messengers are as refreshing to their master as cold snow on a hot harvest day.
14 He pera i nga kapua me te hau uakore, koia ano te rite o te tangata e whakamanamana ana ki ana hakari horihori.
Someone who boasts about a gift they never give is like cloud and wind without rain.
15 Ma te roa e whakamanawanui ana ka whakaae mai ai te kingi, a ma te arero ngawarika mangungu ai te wheua.
If you're patient you can persuade your superior, and soft words can break down opposition.
16 Kua kitea e koe he honi? Kainga ko te wahi e makona ai koe; kei ki rawa koe i taua mea, ka ruakina e koe.
If you find honey, eat just enough, for if you eat too much, you'll be sick.
17 Kia takitahi tou waewae ki te whare o tou hoa; kei hoha ia ki a koe, a ka kino ki a koe.
Don't set foot in your neighbors' homes too often, otherwise they'll get fed up with you and hate you.
18 Ko te tangata e whakaatu teka ana mo tona hoa, he patu ia, he hoari, a he pere koi.
Telling lies in court against a friend is like attacking them with a mace, or a sword, or an arrow.
19 Ko te whakawhirinaki ki te tangata tinihanga i te wa o te raru, e rite ana ki te niho whati, ki te waewae kua takoki.
Trusting in unreliable people in times of trouble is like eating with a broken tooth or walking on a bad foot.
20 Ko te tangata e waiata ana ki te ngakau pouri, e rite ana ki te tangata e whakarere ana i te kakahu i te rangi maeke, ki te winika hoki i runga i te houra.
Singing happy songs to someone who's broken-hearted is like taking off your coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar onto an open wound.
21 Ki te matekai tou hoariri whangaia ki te taro; ki te matewai whakainumia ki te wai;
If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he's thirsty, give him a drink of water.
22 Ka purangatia hoki e koe he waro kapura ki tona mahunga, a ka utua tau e Ihowa.
This will make him ashamed as if he had burning coals piled on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
23 E mauria ana mai e te hauraro he ua: e peratia ana hoki e te arero ngautuara, he kanohi pukuriri.
In the same way that the north wind brings rain, slandering people makes them angry.
24 He pai ke te noho i te kokonga o te tuanui, i te noho tahi me te wahine ngangare i roto i te whare mahorahora.
It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
25 He rongo pai no te whenua tawhiti, tona rite kei nga wai matao ki te wairua matewai.
Good news from a distant country is like cold water to an exhausted traveler.
26 Me te manawa whenua i takatakahia, me te puna i whakaparuparutia, koia ano te tangata tika e hinga ana i te aroaro o te tangata kino.
Good people who give in to the wicked are like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
27 Ehara i te mea pai te kai nui i te honi; waihoki ko a te tangata rapu i to ratou ake kororia ehara i te kororia.
It's not good to eat too much honey, or to want too much praise.
28 Ko te tangata e kore nei e pehi i tona wairua, e rite ana ki te pa kua pakaru, kahore ona taiepa.
Someone without control is as exposed as a town whose walls have been breached.
