Whakatauki 30
1 Ko nga kupu a Akuru tama a Iakehe; ko te poropititanga. I korero taua tangata ki a Itiere, ki a Itiere raua ko Ukara,
The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:
2 He pono ko ahau te mea poauau rawa o nga tangata, kahore hoki he matauranga tangata i roto i ahau.
For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:
3 Kihai hoki ahau i whakaakona ki te whakaaro nui, kihai ano i mohio ki te Mea Tapu.
I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Ko wai kua piki atu ki te rangi, a heke mai ai ano? Ko wai kua pupu i te hau ki roto ki ona ringa? Na wai i takai nga wai ki roto ki tona kakahu? Na wai i whakapumau nga pito katoa o te whenua? Ko wai tona ingoa, a ko wai hoki te ingoa o tana tam a, ki te mohiotia e koe?
Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?
5 Ko nga kupu katoa a te Atua he mea whakamatau: he whakangungu rakau ia ki te hunga katoa e whakawhirinaki ana ki a ia.
Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.
6 Kaua e tapiritia etahi kupu ki ana, kei riria e ia tou he, a ka kitea koe he tangata korero teka.
Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
7 E rua nga mea kua inoia e ahau i a koe; kaua ena e kaiponuhia i ahau i mua i toku matenga;
I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:
8 Whakamataratia atu i ahau te horihori me te korero teka; kaua e homai te rawakore ki ahau, te taonga ranei; whangaia ahau ki te kai e rite ana maku:
Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:
9 Kei makona ahau, a ka whakakahore ki a koe, ka mea, Ko wai a Ihowa? Kei rawakore ranei ahau, a ka whanako, ka whakahua noa hoki i te ingoa o toku Atua.
For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
10 Kaua e korerotia te pononga ki tona ariki, kei kanga ia i a koe, a ko koe e he.
Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.
11 Tera te whakatupuranga, he kanga ta ratou i to ratou papa, kahore hoki e manaaki i to ratou whaea.
There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.
12 Tera te whakatupuranga, he ma ki ta ratou na titiro, otira kahore ano kia horoia atu to ratou paru.
There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.
13 Tera te whakatupuranga, Na, te whakakake o o ratou kanohi! Kua whakarewaina ake hoki o ratou kamo.
There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up!
14 Tera te whakatupuranga, ko o ratou niho ano he hoari, ko o ratou niho purakau ano he maripi, hei horo i te hunga iti i runga i te whenua, i nga rawakore hoki i roto i nga tangata.
There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
15 E rua nga tamahine a te ngate, ko ta raua karanga, Homai, homa. E toru nga mea e kore rawa e makona, ae ra, e wha nga mea e kore e ki, Kati:
The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:
16 Ko te rua tupapaku; ko te kopu pakoko; ko te whenua kihai i pukuwaitia; a ko te ahi e kore nei e ki, Kati. (Sheol h7585)
The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Ko te kanohi e whakahi ana ki te papa, e whakahawea ana ki te whakarongo ki tona whaea, ma nga raweni o te awaawa ia e tikaro, a ma nga pi ekara e kai.
The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.
18 E toru nga mea he whakamiharo rawa, e kore e taea e ahau, ae ra, e wha kahore e mohiotia e ahau:
There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:
19 Ko te huarahi o te ekara i te rangi; ko te huarahi o te nakahi i runga i te kamaka; ko te huarahi o te kaipuke i waenga moana; a ko te huarahi o te tangata ki te kotiro.
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a girl.
20 He pera ano te huarahi o te wahine puremu; ka kai ia, a ka horoi i tona mangai, a ka ki, Kahore aku mahi he.
This is the way of a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.
21 E toru nga mea e korikori ai te whenua, a e wha, he mea e kore e manawanuitia e ia:
For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:
22 Ko te pononga ina whakakingitia ia; ko te wairangi hoki ina makona i te taro;
A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;
23 Ko te wahine whakarihariha ina whiwhi i te tane; a ko te pononga wahine ina tuku iho mana nga mea a tona rangatira.
A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.
24 E wha nga mea ririki i runga i te whenua, he nui noa atu ia nga whakaaro:
There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are very wise:
25 Ko nga popokorua ehara i te iwi kaha, heoi e mea ana i te kai ma ratou i te raumati;
The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer;
26 Ko nga koni, he iwi ngoikore, heoi e hanga ana i o ratou whare ki te kamaka;
The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;
27 Ko nga mawhitiwhiti, kahore o ratou kingi, heoi haere ropu ana ratou katoa;
The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;
28 Ko te mokomoko, ko ona peke hei pupuri mana; otiia kei roto ia i nga whare kingi.
You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.
29 E toru nga mea, he tau ta ratou hikoi, ae ra, e wha he huatau ki te haere:
There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:
30 Ko te raiona, ko te mea kaha rawa o nga kararehe, e kore nei e tahuri mai i te aroaro o tetahi;
The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;
31 Ko te kuri horo; ko te koati toa ano hoki; a ko te kingi, kahore nei tetahi e maranga ake ki a ia.
The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with him.
32 Ki te mea he mahi kuware tau i a koe i whakaneke ake ai i a koe, ki te mea ranei i whakaaro kino koe, kopania tou ringa ki tou mangai.
If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.
33 He pono hoki ki te hurihia te waiu ka puta mai he pata, a ki te kowiria te ihu ka puta mai he toto: waihoki ki te akina te riri ka puta he whawhai.
The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.
