Whakatauki 30
1 Ko nga kupu a Akuru tama a Iakehe; ko te poropititanga. I korero taua tangata ki a Itiere, ki a Itiere raua ko Ukara,
The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:
2 He pono ko ahau te mea poauau rawa o nga tangata, kahore hoki he matauranga tangata i roto i ahau.
I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 Kihai hoki ahau i whakaakona ki te whakaaro nui, kihai ano i mohio ki te Mea Tapu.
I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
4 Ko wai kua piki atu ki te rangi, a heke mai ai ano? Ko wai kua pupu i te hau ki roto ki ona ringa? Na wai i takai nga wai ki roto ki tona kakahu? Na wai i whakapumau nga pito katoa o te whenua? Ko wai tona ingoa, a ko wai hoki te ingoa o tana tam a, ki te mohiotia e koe?
Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?
5 Ko nga kupu katoa a te Atua he mea whakamatau: he whakangungu rakau ia ki te hunga katoa e whakawhirinaki ana ki a ia.
Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.
6 Kaua e tapiritia etahi kupu ki ana, kei riria e ia tou he, a ka kitea koe he tangata korero teka.
Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:
7 E rua nga mea kua inoia e ahau i a koe; kaua ena e kaiponuhia i ahau i mua i toku matenga;
Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.
8 Whakamataratia atu i ahau te horihori me te korero teka; kaua e homai te rawakore ki ahau, te taonga ranei; whangaia ahau ki te kai e rite ana maku:
Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:
9 Kei makona ahau, a ka whakakahore ki a koe, ka mea, Ko wai a Ihowa? Kei rawakore ranei ahau, a ka whanako, ka whakahua noa hoki i te ingoa o toku Atua.
Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.
10 Kaua e korerotia te pononga ki tona ariki, kei kanga ia i a koe, a ko koe e he.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.
11 Tera te whakatupuranga, he kanga ta ratou i to ratou papa, kahore hoki e manaaki i to ratou whaea.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 Tera te whakatupuranga, he ma ki ta ratou na titiro, otira kahore ano kia horoia atu to ratou paru.
A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 Tera te whakatupuranga, Na, te whakakake o o ratou kanohi! Kua whakarewaina ake hoki o ratou kamo.
A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.
14 Tera te whakatupuranga, ko o ratou niho ano he hoari, ko o ratou niho purakau ano he maripi, hei horo i te hunga iti i runga i te whenua, i nga rawakore hoki i roto i nga tangata.
A generation, that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.
15 E rua nga tamahine a te ngate, ko ta raua karanga, Homai, homa. E toru nga mea e kore rawa e makona, ae ra, e wha nga mea e kore e ki, Kati:
The horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.
16 Ko te rua tupapaku; ko te kopu pakoko; ko te whenua kihai i pukuwaitia; a ko te ahi e kore nei e ki, Kati. (Sheol h7585)
Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Ko te kanohi e whakahi ana ki te papa, e whakahawea ana ki te whakarongo ki tona whaea, ma nga raweni o te awaawa ia e tikaro, a ma nga pi ekara e kai.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
18 E toru nga mea he whakamiharo rawa, e kore e taea e ahau, ae ra, e wha kahore e mohiotia e ahau:
Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
19 Ko te huarahi o te ekara i te rangi; ko te huarahi o te nakahi i runga i te kamaka; ko te huarahi o te kaipuke i waenga moana; a ko te huarahi o te tangata ki te kotiro.
The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man in youth.
20 He pera ano te huarahi o te wahine puremu; ka kai ia, a ka horoi i tona mangai, a ka ki, Kahore aku mahi he.
Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
21 E toru nga mea e korikori ai te whenua, a e wha, he mea e kore e manawanuitia e ia:
By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:
22 Ko te pononga ina whakakingitia ia; ko te wairangi hoki ina makona i te taro;
By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:
23 Ko te wahine whakarihariha ina whiwhi i te tane; a ko te pononga wahine ina tuku iho mana nga mea a tona rangatira.
By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
24 E wha nga mea ririki i runga i te whenua, he nui noa atu ia nga whakaaro:
There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 Ko nga popokorua ehara i te iwi kaha, heoi e mea ana i te kai ma ratou i te raumati;
The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
26 Ko nga koni, he iwi ngoikore, heoi e hanga ana i o ratou whare ki te kamaka;
The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
27 Ko nga mawhitiwhiti, kahore o ratou kingi, heoi haere ropu ana ratou katoa;
The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.
28 Ko te mokomoko, ko ona peke hei pupuri mana; otiia kei roto ia i nga whare kingi.
The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings’ houses.
29 E toru nga mea, he tau ta ratou hikoi, ae ra, e wha he huatau ki te haere:
There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
30 Ko te raiona, ko te mea kaha rawa o nga kararehe, e kore nei e tahuri mai i te aroaro o tetahi;
A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
31 Ko te kuri horo; ko te koati toa ano hoki; a ko te kingi, kahore nei tetahi e maranga ake ki a ia.
A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
32 Ki te mea he mahi kuware tau i a koe i whakaneke ake ai i a koe, ki te mea ranei i whakaaro kino koe, kopania tou ringa ki tou mangai.
There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.
33 He pono hoki ki te hurihia te waiu ka puta mai he pata, a ki te kowiria te ihu ka puta mai he toto: waihoki ki te akina te riri ka puta he whawhai.
And he that strongly squeezeth the papa to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath bringeth forth strife.
