Whakatauki 4
1 Whakarongo, e aku tamariki, ki te whakaako a te matua, tahuri mai hoki kia matauria ai nga whakaaro mohio.
Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 He pai hoki te kupu mohio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua taku ture e whakarerea.
For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 He tama ano hoki ahau ki toku papa, a he ngawari, he mea kotahi e matenuitia ana e toku whaea.
For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
4 I whakaako ano ia i ahau, i mea ki ahau, Puritia aku kupu e tou ngakau; kia mau ki aku whakahau, a e ora koe.
So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Whaia mou te whakaaro nui, whaia mou te matauranga; kaua e wareware ki tera, kaua hoki e neke atu i nga kupu a toku mangai.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Kaua ia e whakarerea, a mana koe e tiaki; arohaina ia, a mana koe e mau ai.
Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
7 Ko te whakaaro nui te tino mea; no reira whaia mau te whakaaro nui; a i ou whiwhinga katoa, kia whiwhi koe ki te matauranga.
The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Whakanuia ia, a mana koe ka kake ai; ka whakahonore ia i a koe ki te awhitia e koe.
Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
9 Ka homai e ia he pare ataahua ki tou mahunga, ka potaea ano koe e ia ki te karauna whakapaipai.
She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Whakarongo, e taku tama, maharatia aku kupu, a he maha nga tau e ora ai koe.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 He mea whakaako koe naku ki te ara o te whakaaro nui; he mea arahi koe naku i nga ara o te tika.
In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 Ka haere koe, e kore ou takahanga e whakakikitia mai; ki te rere koe, e kore koe e tutuki.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Kia mau ki te ako, kaua e tukua atu; matapoporetia iho, ko tou oranga hoki ia.
Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 Kaua e haere i te ara o te hunga kino, kaua hoki e takahia te huarahi o te hunga he.
Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Anga ke ake, kaua e tika na reira; peka ake i taua ara, haere tonu atu.
Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
16 E kore hoki ratou e moe ki te kore e oti tetahi mahi he ma ratou; riro rawa to ratou moe, ki te kahore tetahi tangata e hinga i a ratou.
For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 No te kino hoki te taro e kainga ana e ratou, no te nanakia te waina e inumia ana e ratou.
For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
18 Ko te huarahi ia o te hunga tika, koia ano kei te marama e whiti ana, a ka neke haere tonu ake tona marama, a taea noatia te tino ra.
But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 Ko te ara o te hunga kino, me he pouri; e kore ratou e mohio ki te mea i tutuki ai ratou.
The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 E taku tama, tahuri ki aku kupu; anga mai tou taringa ki aku korero.
My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
21 Kei kotiti ke enei i ou kanohi; puritia i waenganui o tou ngakau.
Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
22 He oranga enei mo te hunga e kitea ai, he rongoa mo o ratou kikokiko katoa.
For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Kia pau ou mahara ki te tiaki i tou ngakau; no reira hoki nga putanga o te ora.
Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
24 Whakarerea te mangai whanoke, kia matara rawa i a koe nga ngutu tutu.
Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Kia hangai tonu te titiro whakamua a ou kanohi; kia titiro ou kamo ki mua tonu i a koe.
Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Whakatikaia te huarahi o ou waewae, kia u ano hoki ou ara katoa.
Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Kaua e peka ki matau, ki maui; kia anga ke tou waewae i te kino.
Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
