1 K o 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; The oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

2 H e pono ko ahau te mea poauau rawa o nga tangata, kahore hoki he matauranga tangata i roto i ahau.

Surely I am more brutish than any man, And have not the understanding of a man;

3 K ihai hoki ahau i whakaakona ki te whakaaro nui, kihai ano i mohio ki te Mea Tapu.

And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

4 K o 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 hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?

5 K o 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 tried: He is a shield unto them that take refuge in him.

6 K aua e tapiritia etahi kupu ki ana, kei riria e ia tou he, a ka kitea koe he tangata korero teka.

Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

7 E rua nga mea kua inoia e ahau i a koe; kaua ena e kaiponuhia i ahau i mua i toku matenga;

Two things have I asked of thee; Deny me them not before I die:

8 W hakamataratia 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:

Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:

9 K ei 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.

Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.

10 K aua e korerotia te pononga ki tona ariki, kei kanga ia i a koe, a ko koe e he.

Slander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.

11 T era te whakatupuranga, he kanga ta ratou i to ratou papa, kahore hoki e manaaki i to ratou whaea.

There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.

12 T era te whakatupuranga, he ma ki ta ratou na titiro, otira kahore ano kia horoia atu to ratou paru.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.

13 T era te whakatupuranga, Na, te whakakake o o ratou kanohi! Kua whakarewaina ake hoki o ratou kamo.

There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.

14 T era 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 as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy 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 horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, Yea, four that say not, Enough:

16 K o te rua tupapaku; ko te kopu pakoko; ko te whenua kihai i pukuwaitia; a ko te ahi e kore nei e ki, Kati.

Sheol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not, Enough.

17 K o 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 that mocketh at his father, And despiseth to obey his mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.

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 which are too wonderful for me, Yea, four which I know not:

19 K o 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 serpent upon a rock; The way of a ship in the midst of the sea; And the way of a man with a maiden.

20 H e pera ano te huarahi o te wahine puremu; ka kai ia, a ka horoi i tona mangai, a ka ki, Kahore aku mahi he.

So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, I have done no wickedness.

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 doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:

22 K o te pononga ina whakakingitia ia; ko te wairangi hoki ina makona i te taro;

For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;

23 K o te wahine whakarihariha ina whiwhi i te tane; a ko te pononga wahine ina tuku iho mana nga mea a tona rangatira.

For an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

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 upon the earth, But they are exceeding wise:

25 K o 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, Yet they provide their food in the summer;

26 K o nga koni, he iwi ngoikore, heoi e hanga ana i o ratou whare ki te kamaka;

The conies are but a feeble folk, Yet make they their houses in the rocks;

27 K o nga mawhitiwhiti, kahore o ratou kingi, heoi haere ropu ana ratou katoa;

The locusts have no king, Yet go they forth all of them by bands;

28 K o te mokomoko, ko ona peke hei pupuri mana; otiia kei roto ia i nga whare kingi.

The lizard taketh hold with her hands, Yet is she in kings' palaces.

29 E toru nga mea, he tau ta ratou hikoi, ae ra, e wha he huatau ki te haere:

There are three things which are stately in their march, Yea, four which are stately in going:

30 K o 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 mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;

31 K o te kuri horo; ko te koati toa ano hoki; a ko te kingi, kahore nei tetahi e maranga ake ki a ia.

The greyhound; the he-goat also; And the king against whom there is no rising up.

32 K i 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 thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, Or if thou hast thought evil, Lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

33 H e 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.

For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.