Whakatauki 4
1 Whakarongo, e aku tamariki, ki te whakaako a te matua, tahuri mai hoki kia matauria ai nga whakaaro mohio.
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 He pai hoki te kupu mohio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua taku ture e whakarerea.
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3 He tama ano hoki ahau ki toku papa, a he ngawari, he mea kotahi e matenuitia ana e toku whaea.
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 I whakaako ano ia i ahau, i mea ki ahau, Puritia aku kupu e tou ngakau; kia mau ki aku whakahau, a e ora koe.
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Whaia mou te whakaaro nui, whaia mou te matauranga; kaua e wareware ki tera, kaua hoki e neke atu i nga kupu a toku mangai.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 Kaua ia e whakarerea, a mana koe e tiaki; arohaina ia, a mana koe e mau ai.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 Ko te whakaaro nui te tino mea; no reira whaia mau te whakaaro nui; a i ou whiwhinga katoa, kia whiwhi koe ki te matauranga.
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8 Whakanuia ia, a mana koe ka kake ai; ka whakahonore ia i a koe ki te awhitia e koe.
Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 Ka homai e ia he pare ataahua ki tou mahunga, ka potaea ano koe e ia ki te karauna whakapaipai.
She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Whakarongo, e taku tama, maharatia aku kupu, a he maha nga tau e ora ai koe.
Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11 He mea whakaako koe naku ki te ara o te whakaaro nui; he mea arahi koe naku i nga ara o te tika.
I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 Ka haere koe, e kore ou takahanga e whakakikitia mai; ki te rere koe, e kore koe e tutuki.
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Kia mau ki te ako, kaua e tukua atu; matapoporetia iho, ko tou oranga hoki ia.
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Kaua e haere i te ara o te hunga kino, kaua hoki e takahia te huarahi o te hunga he.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Anga ke ake, kaua e tika na reira; peka ake i taua ara, haere tonu atu.
Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16 E kore hoki ratou e moe ki te kore e oti tetahi mahi he ma ratou; riro rawa to ratou moe, ki te kahore tetahi tangata e hinga i a ratou.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17 No te kino hoki te taro e kainga ana e ratou, no te nanakia te waina e inumia ana e ratou.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 Ko te huarahi ia o te hunga tika, koia ano kei te marama e whiti ana, a ka neke haere tonu ake tona marama, a taea noatia te tino ra.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 Ko te ara o te hunga kino, me he pouri; e kore ratou e mohio ki te mea i tutuki ai ratou.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 E taku tama, tahuri ki aku kupu; anga mai tou taringa ki aku korero.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Kei kotiti ke enei i ou kanohi; puritia i waenganui o tou ngakau.
Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 He oranga enei mo te hunga e kitea ai, he rongoa mo o ratou kikokiko katoa.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 Kia pau ou mahara ki te tiaki i tou ngakau; no reira hoki nga putanga o te ora.
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 Whakarerea te mangai whanoke, kia matara rawa i a koe nga ngutu tutu.
Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25 Kia hangai tonu te titiro whakamua a ou kanohi; kia titiro ou kamo ki mua tonu i a koe.
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 Whakatikaia te huarahi o ou waewae, kia u ano hoki ou ara katoa.
Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27 Kaua e peka ki matau, ki maui; kia anga ke tou waewae i te kino.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
