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.
To the Chief Musician. For the Sons of Korah. A Melody. Hear ye, this all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of this passing world;
2 E nga tangata iti, koutou ko nga tangata rahi, e te tangata taonga korua ko te rawakore.
Both sons of the low, And sons of the high, —Together both rich and needy: —
3 Ka whakapuakina he matauranga e toku mangai: a he ata ngarahu te whakaaro o toku ngakau.
My mouth, shall speak forth Wisdom, And the soft utterance of my heart be Understanding:
4 Ka titaha toku taringa ki te kupu whakarite; ka puaki taku pepeha i runga i te hapa.
I will bend, to a by-word, mine ear, I will open, on the lyre, mine enigma.
5 Kia wehi ahau ki te aha i nga ra o te kino, ina karapotia ahau e te kino kei oku rekereke?
Wherefore should I fear in the days of calamity, Though the iniquity of them who lie in wait for me should enclose me?
6 Ko te hunga e whakawhirinaki ana ki o ratou taonga, e whakamanamana ana ki te nui o o ratou rawa;
As for them who are trusting in their wealth, —And, in the abundance of their riches, do boast themselves,
7 E kore tetahi o ratou e ahei te hoko i tona teina, te hoatu ranei i tetahi utu mona ki te Atua;
A brother, can none of them, redeem, he cannot give unto God a ransom for himself:
8 He nui hoki te utu mo to ratou wairua, a me whakarere atu ake ake;
So costly, is the redemption of their soul, That it faileth unto times age-abiding;
9 Kia ora tonu ai ia ake ake: kia kaua e kite i te pirau.
That he should, yet, live on, continually, Should not see corruption.
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 it is seen that, the wise, die, Together with the dullard, and the brutish, do they perish, And leave, to others, their wealth:
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.
Their, inward thought, is that their houses are for times age-abiding, Their habitations, for generation after generation, —They give their own names unto lands!
12 Heoi kahore te tangata e noho tonu i roto i te honore: ko tona rite kei nga kararehe ka moti nei.
But, a son of earth, though wealthy, cannot tarry, He hath made himself a by-word—Beasts, they resemble:
13 Ko to ratou ara tenei, ara ko to ratou poauau: heoi e whakapai ana to ratou uri ki a ratou korero. (Hera)
This, their way, is a folly to them, And yet, their followers, with their mouth, approve. (Selah)
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—into hades, are they driven, Death shall shepherd them, —And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, Even their form, is to decay, Hades, is all that remaineth of a habitation for him. (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 soul, out of the hand of hades, For he will take me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Kaua e wehi ua whai taonga te tangata, ina nui haere te kororia o tona whare;
Do not fear, When a man becometh rich, When the glory of his house increaseth;
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 shall take, nothing, his glory shall 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.
For, though, his own self—while he lived, he used to bless, And they will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,
19 Ka haere ia ki te whakatupuranga o ona tupuna: e kore rawa ratou e kite i te marama.
He shall enter as far as the circle of his fathers, Nevermore, shall they see the light.
20 Ko te tangata e whakahonoretia ana, a kahore e whai whakaaro, kei nga kararehe ka moti nei tona rite.
A son of earth though wealthy, who discerneth not, Hath made himself a by-word, Beasts, they resemble.
