Kaikauwhau 11
1 Maka tau taro ki te mata o nga wai; kia maha hoki nga ra ka kitea ano e koa.
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2 Hoatu tetahi wahi ma te tokowhitu, ae ma te tokowaru ano hoki; e kore hoki koe e mohio ko tehea kino e puta mai ki te whenua.
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 Ki te ki nga kapua i te ua, ka ringihia ki te whenua: ki te hinga hoki te rakau ki te tonga, ki te raki ranei, ko te wahi e hinga ai te rakau, ko reira ano ia takoto ai.
If the clouds are full of rain, they empty [themselves] upon the earth: and if the tree falleth towards the south, or towards the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4 Ko te tangata e whai mahara ana ki te hau, e kore e rui; ko te tangata titiro kapua e kore e kokoti.
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5 Na, ka kore ano koe e mohio ki te huarahi o te hau, ki te tupu ranei o nga wheua i roto i te kopu o te wahine hapu; e kore ano hoki e mohiotia e koe te mahi a te Atua, a te kaimahi o nga mea katoa.
As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] the structure of the parts of conception in her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
6 I te ata ruia tau purapura, a i te ahiahi kaua e pepeke tou ringa; kahore hoki koe e mohio ko tenei ranei e tika, ko tera ranei, ko raua ranei e rua ka pai ngatahi.
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both [shall be] alike good.
7 He pono he ahuareka te marama, a he mea pai ki nga kanohi te titiro ki te ra.
Truly the light [is] sweet, and a pleasant [thing it is] for the eyes to behold the sun:
8 Ae ra, ki te maha nga tau e ora ai te tangata, kia hari ia ki aua tau katoa; engari kia mahara ia ki nga tau o te pouri, tera hoki e maha. Ko nga mea e haere ake ana he horihori katoa.
But if a man shall live many years, [and] rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh [is] vanity.
9 Kia koe, e te taitamariki, ki tou taitamarikitanga; kia whakahari ano hoki tou ngakau i a koe i nga ra o tou taitamarikitanga, haere hoki i nga ara o tou ngakau, i te tirohanga ano a ou kanohi: otiia kia mohio ano koe, he mea enei katoa e riro ai koe i te Atua ki te whakawa.
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: but know thou, that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.
10 No reira whakawateatia atu te riri i tou ngakau, a whakanekehia atu te kino i tou kikokiko: he mea horihori nei hoki te taitamarikitanga, me te houkuratanga.
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.
