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 Agur the son of Yakeh, even the prophecy: the man said unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ukkal,
2 He pono ko ahau te mea poauau rawa o nga tangata, kahore hoki he matauranga tangata i roto i ahau.
“Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a common man.
3 Kihai hoki ahau i whakaakona ki te whakaaro nui, kihai ano i mohio ki te Mea Tapu.
Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.
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 was it that ascended into heaven, and came down again? who gathered the wind in his fists? who bound the waters in a garment? who set up all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest it?”
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 saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.
6 Kaua e tapiritia etahi kupu ki ana, kei riria e ia tou he, a ka kitea koe he tangata korero teka.
Do not add aught unto his words: lest he reprove thee, and thou be 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 do I request 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:
Vanity and lying words do thou remove far from me: neither poverty nor riches give thou unto me; let me eat the bread appointed unto me:
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 I become over-full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I become poor, and steal, and trespass against 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.
Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.
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 its father, and doth not bless its mother.
12 Tera te whakatupuranga, he ma ki ta ratou na titiro, otira kahore ano kia horoia atu to ratou paru.
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed [clean] of its filthiness.
13 Tera te whakatupuranga, Na, te whakakake o o ratou kanohi! Kua whakarewaina ake hoki o ratou kamo.
There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so lifted up.
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.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and whose string teeth are as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy 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:
Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, 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)
The nether world; and a barren womb; the earth which is not satisfied with water; and the fire which never saith, 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 despiseth to obey his mother, this shall the ravens of the valley pick out; and the young eagles shall 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 there are which are too wonderful for me; and four, which I know not:
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 the eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
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 the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wrong.
21 E toru nga mea e korikori ai te whenua, a e wha, he mea e kore e manawanuitia e ia:
Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:
22 Ko te pononga ina whakakingitia ia; ko te wairangi hoki ina makona i te taro;
Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;
23 Ko te wahine whakarihariha ina whiwhi i te tane; a ko te pononga wahine ina tuku iho mana nga mea a tona rangatira.
Under an odious woman when she is married, and a bond-woman when she dispossesseth her mistress.
24 E wha nga mea ririki i runga i te whenua, he nui noa atu ia nga whakaaro:
There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:
25 Ko nga popokorua ehara i te iwi kaha, heoi e mea ana i te kai ma ratou i te raumati;
The ants are a people not strong, therefore do they prepare in the summer their food;
26 Ko nga koni, he iwi ngoikore, heoi e hanga ana i o ratou whare ki te kamaka;
The conies are but a feeble people, therefore do they place on the rocks their houses;
27 Ko nga mawhitiwhiti, kahore o ratou kingi, heoi haere ropu ana ratou katoa;
The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;
28 Ko te mokomoko, ko ona peke hei pupuri mana; otiia kei roto ia i nga whare kingi.
The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.
29 E toru nga mea, he tau ta ratou hikoi, ae ra, e wha he huatau ki te haere:
Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:
30 Ko te raiona, ko te mea kaha rawa o nga kararehe, e kore nei e tahuri mai i te aroaro o tetahi;
The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;
31 Ko te kuri horo; ko te koati toa ano hoki; a ko te kingi, kahore nei tetahi e maranga ake ki a ia.
The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
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.
If thou hast become degraded by lifting up thyself, or if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to thy 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.
For the pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife.
