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 son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
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 like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
3 Kihai hoki ahau i whakaakona ki te whakaaro nui, kihai ano i mohio ki te Mea Tapu.
I have not learned wisdom, nor do I 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 has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has gathered up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
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 tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge 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 to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be 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 ask of you, do not withhold them from 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:
Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
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.
For if I have too much, I might deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” Or if I become poor, I might steal and profane 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 slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
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 curses their father and does not bless their 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 their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
13 Tera te whakatupuranga, Na, te whakakake o o ratou kanohi! Kua whakarewaina ake hoki o ratou kamo.
There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids 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 swords, and their jawbones are like knives, so they may devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
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 leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that 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)
Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “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 mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, his eyes will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and he will be eaten by the vultures.
18 E toru nga mea he whakamiharo rawa, e kore e taea e ahau, ae ra, e wha kahore e mohiotia e ahau:
There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
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 sky; the way of a snake on 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.
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing 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 trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 Ko te pononga ina whakakingitia ia; ko te wairangi hoki ina makona i te taro;
a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
23 Ko te wahine whakarihariha ina whiwhi i te tane; a ko te pononga wahine ina tuku iho mana nga mea a tona rangatira.
a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
24 E wha nga mea ririki i runga i te whenua, he nui noa atu ia nga whakaaro:
Four things on earth are small and yet they are very 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 creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;
26 Ko nga koni, he iwi ngoikore, heoi e hanga ana i o ratou whare ki te kamaka;
the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
27 Ko nga mawhitiwhiti, kahore o ratou kingi, heoi haere ropu ana ratou katoa;
Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
28 Ko te mokomoko, ko ona peke hei pupuri mana; otiia kei roto ia i nga whare kingi.
As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
29 E toru nga mea, he tau ta ratou hikoi, ae ra, e wha he huatau ki te haere:
There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
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, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
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 strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
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 you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your 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.
As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
