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, even the prophecy: the man spoke unto Ithiel, even 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 carnal 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.

I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy.

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 has ascended up into heaven, or descended? who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? who has established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?

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 pure: he is a shield unto those that put their trust 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.

Do not add 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 required of thee; do not deny me them 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 vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my judgment:

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 the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and blaspheme 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.

¶ Do not accuse a slave in the presence of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found 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 curses their father, and does not bless 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 is 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, O 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 molars as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the destitute 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 has two daughters, which are called, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is 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 filled with water; and the fire that never says, It is 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 mocks at his father, and despises the teaching of his mother, the ravens shall pluck it out of the river, 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 hidden from 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 track of the eagle in the air; the track of the serpent upon the rock; the track of the ship in the midst of the sea; and the track of the man in the maid.

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.

Such is the track of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, 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 is disquieted, and the fourth it cannot bear:

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

For a slave when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with bread;

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 a rejected 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 wiser than the wise men:

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 prepare 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 they make 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 all of them go forth by bands;

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

the spider takes hold with her hands and is 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 have a magnificent walk; yea, the fourth is 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 strongest among beasts and does not turn 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 who is girded up of loins; a he goat also, and the king, against whom no one rises 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 fallen, it is because thou hast lifted thyself up; and if thou hast thought evil, lay thine 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.

Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.