Waiata 49
1 Ki te tino kaiwhakatangi. He himene ma nga tama a Koraha. Whakarongo ki tenei, e nga iwi katoa: tahuri mai o koutou taringa, e nga tangata katoa o te ao.
“For the leader of the music. A psalm of the sons of Korah.” Hear this, all ye nations; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world;
2 E nga tangata iti, koutou ko nga tangata rahi, e te tangata taonga korua ko te rawakore.
Both high and low, rich and poor alike!
3 Ka whakapuakina he matauranga e toku mangai: a he ata ngarahu te whakaaro o toku ngakau.
My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my mind shall be understanding.
4 Ka titaha toku taringa ki te kupu whakarite; ka puaki taku pepeha i runga i te hapa.
I will incline mine ear to a poem; I will utter my song upon the harp.
5 Kia wehi ahau ki te aha i nga ra o te kino, ina karapotia ahau e te kino kei oku rekereke?
Why should I fear in the days of adversity, When the iniquity of my adversaries encompasseth me;
6 Ko te hunga e whakawhirinaki ana ki o ratou taonga, e whakamanamana ana ki te nui o o ratou rawa;
They who trust in their riches, And glory in the greatness of their wealth?
7 E kore tetahi o ratou e ahei te hoko i tona teina, te hoatu ranei i tetahi utu mona ki te Atua;
No one can redeem his brother from death, Nor give a ransom for him to God,
8 He nui hoki te utu mo to ratou wairua, a me whakarere atu ake ake;
That he should live to eternity, And not see the pit.
9 Kia ora tonu ai ia ake ake: kia kaua e kite i te pirau.
Too costly is the redemption of his life, And he giveth it up for ever.
10 E kite ana hoki ia e matemate ana nga tangata whakaaro nui, e ngaro ngatahi ana te poauau me te whakaarokore, a mahue iho o ratou taonga ki etahi atu.
For he seeth that wise men die, As well as the foolish and the ignorant; They perish alike, And leave their wealth to others.
11 Ki to ratou whakaaro puku, tera e pumau tonu o ratou whare me o ratou nohoanga, ki nga whakatupuranga katoa: huaina iho o ratou whenua ki o ratou ingoa.
They imagine that their houses will endure for ever, And their dwelling-places from generation to generation: Men celebrate their names on the earth.
12 Heoi kahore te tangata e noho tonu i roto i te honore: ko tona rite kei nga kararehe ka moti nei.
Yet man, who is in honor, abideth not; He is like the beasts that perish.
13 Ko to ratou ara tenei, ara ko to ratou poauau: heoi e whakapai ana to ratou uri ki a ratou korero. (Hera)
Such is the way which is their confidence! And they who come after them approve their maxims. (Pause)
14 Kei te hipi te rite: ko te wahi mo ratou ko te reinga; ko te mate hei hepara mo ratou, hei rangatira ano te hunga tika mo ratou i te ata; ko to ratou ataahua ma te reinga e whakamoti, kia kore ai he whare mona. (Sheol h7585)
Like sheep they are cast into the underworld; Death shall feed upon them; And the upright shall soon trample upon them. Their form shall be consumed in the underworld, And they shall no more have a dwelling-place. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ma te Atua ia toku wairua e hoko mai i te reinga: ko ia hoki hei tukunga atu moku. (Hera) (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my life from the underworld; Yea, he will take me under his care. (Pause) (Sheol h7585)
16 Kaua e wehi ua whai taonga te tangata, ina nui haere te kororia o tona whare;
Be not thou afraid, when one becometh rich; When the glory of his house is increased!
17 Kahore hoki ana mea e mau atu ai ia ina mate; e kore tona kororia e tuku iho i muri i a ia.
For, when he dieth, he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.
18 Whakapai noa ia i tona wairua i a ia e ora ana; a ka whakamoemititia koe ua pai au mahi ki a koe ano.
Though in his life he thought himself happy, —Though men praised thee, while thou wast in prosperity, —
19 Ka haere ia ki te whakatupuranga o ona tupuna: e kore rawa ratou e kite i te marama.
Yet shalt thou go to the dwelling-place of thy fathers, Who never more shall see the light!
20 Ko te tangata e whakahonoretia ana, a kahore e whai whakaaro, kei nga kararehe ka moti nei tona rite.
The man who is in honor, but without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish.
