Whakatauki 4
1 Whakarongo, e aku tamariki, ki te whakaako a te matua, tahuri mai hoki kia matauria ai nga whakaaro mohio.
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2 He pai hoki te kupu mohio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua taku ture e whakarerea.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
3 He tama ano hoki ahau ki toku papa, a he ngawari, he mea kotahi e matenuitia ana e toku whaea.
For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child 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.
He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain 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.
Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 Kaua ia e whakarerea, a mana koe e tiaki; arohaina ia, a mana koe e mau ai.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
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.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Whakanuia ia, a mana koe ka kake ai; ka whakahonore ia i a koe ki te awhitia e koe.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you 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 to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
10 Whakarongo, e taku tama, maharatia aku kupu, a he maha nga tau e ora ai koe.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 He mea whakaako koe naku ki te ara o te whakaaro nui; he mea arahi koe naku i nga ara o te tika.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12 Ka haere koe, e kore ou takahanga e whakakikitia mai; ki te rere koe, e kore koe e tutuki.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Kia mau ki te ako, kaua e tukua atu; matapoporetia iho, ko tou oranga hoki ia.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Kaua e haere i te ara o te hunga kino, kaua hoki e takahia te huarahi o te hunga he.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Anga ke ake, kaua e tika na reira; peka ake i taua ara, haere tonu atu.
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
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 don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 No te kino hoki te taro e kainga ana e ratou, no te nanakia te waina e inumia ana e ratou.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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 like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect 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 wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
20 E taku tama, tahuri ki aku kupu; anga mai tou taringa ki aku korero.
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Kei kotiti ke enei i ou kanohi; puritia i waenganui o tou ngakau.
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your heart.
22 He oranga enei mo te hunga e kitea ai, he rongoa mo o ratou kikokiko katoa.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
23 Kia pau ou mahara ki te tiaki i tou ngakau; no reira hoki nga putanga o te ora.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Whakarerea te mangai whanoke, kia matara rawa i a koe nga ngutu tutu.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Kia hangai tonu te titiro whakamua a ou kanohi; kia titiro ou kamo ki mua tonu i a koe.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Whakatikaia te huarahi o ou waewae, kia u ano hoki ou ara katoa.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Kaua e peka ki matau, ki maui; kia anga ke tou waewae i te kino.
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
