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 declares to Ithiel, to 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 stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man.

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

Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have 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 has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know!

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 tested; He is a shield to those who 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.

Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved 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 I asked of You, Do not refuse me 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:

Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,

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.

That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord ?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane 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 slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will 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 kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his 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 kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

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

There is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.

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 kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from 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 leech has two daughters, “Give,” “Give.” There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, “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, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “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 a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will 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, Four which I do not understand:

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 sky, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, And the way of a man with a 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.

This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And 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:

Under three things the earth quakes, And under four, it cannot bear up:

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

Under a slave when he becomes king, And a fool when he is satisfied 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.

Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

24 E wha nga mea ririki i runga i te whenua, he nui noa atu ia nga whakaaro:

Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly 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 not a strong people, But 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 shephanim are not mighty people, 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 out in ranks;

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

The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it 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 are stately in their march, Even four which are stately when they walk:

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 mighty among beasts And does not retreat before 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 strutting rooster, the male goat also, And a king when his army is with him.

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 you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your 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 produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife.