Whakatauki 8
1 He teka ianei kei te karanga te whakaaro nui, e puaki ana ano te reo o te matauranga?
Isn't wisdom calling? Isn't understanding raising her voice?
2 I runga i nga wahi tiketike tona turanga, i te ara i te tutakitanga o nga huarahi;
On the top of the hill by the road, she stands up at the crossroads.
3 Hamama ana ia i te taha o nga kuwaha, i te ngutu o te pa, i te tomokanga atu i nga tatau:
Beside the gates of the town, right there at the entrance, she cries out:
4 Ki a koutou, e nga tangata, taku karanga; ki nga tama ano a te tangata toku reo.
“I'm calling out to you, everyone! My call is to everyone in the whole world!
5 E nga kuware, kia matau koutou ki te ngarahu tupato; e nga wairangi, kia mohio te ngakau.
If you're immature, learn how to grow up. If you're stupid, learn what makes good sense.
6 Whakarongo mai, ka korerotia hoki e ahau nga mea pai rawa; ko ta oku ngutu e whakapuaki ai ko nga mea e rite ana.
Listen to me because I have valuable things to explain to you.
7 He pono hoki te korero a toku mangai; he mea whakarihariha ano te kino ki oku ngutu.
I say what's right, because I tell the truth and I hate wickedness in all its forms.
8 Kei runga i te tika nga kupu katoa a toku mangai; kahore he whakapeka, he whanoke ranei, i roto.
All the words I say are true; none are false or misleading.
9 Ko enei katoa he marama ki te tangata e matau ana, he tika ki te hunga i kitea ai te mohio.
My words are straightforward to anyone with understanding; they are correct to those who have knowledge.
10 Manakohia mai taku ako, kaua te hiriwa; ko te matauranga, nui atu i te koura pai rawa.
Choose my instruction over silver; choose knowledge over pure gold.
11 Pai atu hoki te whakaaro nui i nga rupi; e kore hoki nga mea katoa e minaminatia nei e tau hei whakarite mona.
For wisdom is more valuable than rubies; everything you could ever want just doesn't compare!
12 Kua meinga e ahau, e te whakaaro nui, ko te ngarahu pai hei nohoanga moku, e kitea ana e ahau te mohio me te ata whakaaro.
I, wisdom, am at home with good decisions. I know how to find knowledge and discernment.
13 Ko te wehi ki a Ihowa koia tena ko te kino ki te he: e kino ana ahau ki te whakapehapeha, ki te whakakake, ki te ara he, ki te mangai whanoke.
Honoring the Lord means hating evil. So I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behavior and telling lies.
14 Ko te whakaaro tika, ko te whakaaro nui, naku; ko ahau te matauranga, kei ahau te kaha.
I have advice and good judgment; I know what makes sense, and I have power.
15 Naku nga kingi i kingi ai, naku nga rangatira i whakatakoto ai i te tika.
It's because of me that kings reign, and rulers issue fair decrees.
16 Naku i whai rangatiratanga ai nga rangatira, nga tangata nunui, ara nga kaiwhakawa katoa o te whenua.
It's because of me that leaders and nobles govern—all who rule justly.
17 E arohaina ana e ahau te hunga e aroha ana ki ahau; ko te hunga hoki e ata rapu ana i ahau, e kite ratou i ahau.
I love those who love me, and those who really look for me will find me.
18 He taonga, he kororia kei ahau; ae ra, he rawa mau tonu, he tika.
With me go riches and honor, lasting wealth and prosperity.
19 Pai atu oku hua i te koura, ae ra, i te koura parakore; ko nga mea e puta ana i ahau, pai atu i te hiriwa kowhiri.
The fruit I produce is better than gold, even pure gold, and my harvest is better than even the best silver.
20 Kei nga ara o te tika ahau e haere ana, kei waenganui i nga huarahi o te whakawa:
I live in a way that's right; I follow the paths of justice.
21 Kia meinga ai e ahau te hunga e aroha ana ki ahau kia whiwhi ki te rawa, kia whakakiia ai e ahau a ratou takotoranga taonga.
I grant wealth to those who love me; I fill their treasure storehouses.
22 I a Ihowa ahau, no te timatanga ra ano o ona ara, no mua atu i ana mahi o nehera.
The Lord created me first of all; I was made before anything else.
23 Nonamata riro ahau i whakaritea ai, no te timatanga, no mua atu i te whenua.
I was formed a long time ago, at the first, before the world began.
24 I te mea kahore ano nga rire, kua whanau ahau; i te mea kiano he puna whai wai.
I was born when there were no ocean depths, when there were no springs pouring out water.
25 No mua atu i te whakaunga o nga maunga, no mua i nga pukepuke toku whanautanga:
I was born before the mountains or the hills had been formed,
26 I te mea kahore ano i hanga noatia e ia te whenua, me nga parae, me te timatanga o te puehu o te ao.
when he hadn't made the earth and its fields or any of the earth's dust.
27 I tana whakaturanga i nga rangi, i reira ano ahau: i tana whakaritenga i te awhi mo te mata o te rire;
I was there when he placed the heavens in position, when he drew the horizon over the ocean,
28 I tana whakapumautanga i nga rangi i runga; i te tototanga o nga puna o te rire;
when he made the clouds in the sky above, when he created the springs of the oceans,
29 I tana rohenga mai i te moana, kei takahia tana kupu e nga wai; i tana waitohutanga i nga turanga o te whenua;
when he set limits on the sea so that the waters would not go farther than he ordered, and when he laid out the foundations of the earth.
30 I reira ahau i tona taha, he tohunga ki nga mahi: he ahuarekatanga ahau nona i ia ra, i ia ra, e koa ana i nga wa katoa i tona aroaro;
Then I was beside him as a master craftsman. I made him happy every day, and I was always full of joy in his presence.
31 E koa ana ki tana ao; a ko taku i ahuareka ai ko nga tama a te tangata.
I was so happy in the world he created, celebrating together with human beings.
32 No reira, e aku tamariki, whakarongo mai ki ahau: ka hari hoki te hunga e pupuri ana i oku ara.
And now, my sons, listen to me, for happy are those who follow my ways.
33 Whakarongo mai ki te ako, kia whai whakaaro ai koutou; kaua hoki e paopaongia.
Listen to my instruction and be wise—do not reject it.
34 Ka hari te tangata e whakarongo ana ki ahau, e tatari ana i oku tatau i tenei ra, i tenei ra, e whanga ana i nga pou o oku kuwaha.
Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me every day at my doors, waiting at my entrance way.
35 Ko te tangata hoki e kite ana i ahau, e kite ana i te ora, ka whiwhi ano ia ki ta Ihowa manako mai.
For those who find me, find life, and are accepted by the Lord.
36 Ko te tangata ia e hara ana ki ahau, he mahi nanakia tana ki tona wairua ake; ko te hunga katoa e kino ana ki ahau, e aroha ana ki te mate.
But those who don't find me hurt themselves; everyone who hates me loves death.”
