Lingo Cards (Some rights reserved)
To better understand a culture, it helps to savor the wisdom transmitted via proverbs. For Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, we update this list of insightful Māori proverbs (Whakataukī) with translations in English and Spanish. Corrections and suggestions are welcome.
Mā pango, mā whero, ka oti te mahi.
With black and with red, the work is completed.
Spanish: Con negro y rojo, se completa el trabajo.
Kia hōhonu ai te puna kupu.
Let the pool of words be deep.
Spanish: Deja que el charco de palabras sea profundo.
Kia Kawea tātou e te rēhia.
Let us enjoy the spirit of entertainment.
Spanish: Vamos a disfrutar el espíritu de entretenimiento.
Cited online RadioNZ
Toitū te marae a Tāne-Mahuta, Toitū te marae a Tangaroa, Toitū te tangata.
If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive.
Spanish: Si la tierra está bien y el mar está bien, la gente prosperará.
Cited in the NZ Biodiversity Strategy
Whiria te tangata ka puta he oranga, whiria nga mahi toi ka puta he tino rangatiratanga.
Weaving people promotes well-being, weaving the arts promotes excellence.
Tejiendo la gente promueve el bienestar, tejiendo las artes promueve la excelencia.
Ka mate kāinga tahi, ka ora kāinga rua.
There is more than one way to achieve an objective.
Spanish: Hay más que una forma de lograr un objetivo.
Poster
He aha te mea nui ki tēnei ao? Māku e ki atu. He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the most important thing in the world? I would reply that it is people, people, people.
Spanish: ¿Qué es lo más importante en el mundo? Yo le contestaría que es la gente, gente, gente.
Cited online RadioNZ, Poster
He pai te tirohanga ki nga mahara mo nga raa pahemo engari ka puta te maaramatanga i runga i te titiro whakamua.
It’s fine to have recollections of the past but wisdom comes from being able to prepare opportunities for the future.
Spanish: Está bien tener recuerdos del pasado, pero la sabiduría viene de ser capaz de preparar oportunidades para el futuro.
Cited online Radio NZ, English translation kudos to @Waatea603am
Poster
Kāhore taku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini.
We cannot succeed without the support of those around us.
Spanish: No podemos tener éxito sin el apoyo de los que nos rodean.
Cited online RadioNZ
Kahungunu ki te Whaiao, Ki te Ao Marama.
Kahungunu seeking enlightenment and understanding throughout the world.
Spanish: Kahungunu búscando la iluminación y la comprensión en todo el mundo.
Cited online RadioNZ
Ki te kore nga putake e mākukungia e kore te rakau e tupu.
If the roots of the tree are not watered the tree will never grow.
Spanish: Si no se riegan las raíces del árbol del árbol nunca crecerá.
Cited online RadioNZ
Mauria te pono.
Believe in yourself.
Spanish: Cree en ti mismo.
Cited online RadioNZ
Waiho ma te tangata e mihi.
Let others sing your praises.
Spanish: Deja que otros cantan tus alabanzas.
Cited online RadioNZ
He iti hau marangai e tū te pāhokahoka.
Just like a rainbow after the storm, success follows failure.
Spanish: Al igual que un arco iris después de la tormenta, el éxito sigue al fracaso.
Tweeted online @twoa
Kia Mau ki nga mahi toi.
Hold steadfast to creativity.
Spanish: Mantente firme en la creatividad.
Cited online RadioNZ
Aroha mai, aroha atu.
Love towards us, love going out from us.
Spanish: El amor que viene acerca, el amor que sale de nosotros.
Mai i te Kōpae ki te Urupa, tātou ako tonu ai.
From the cradle to the grave we are forever learning.
Spanish: De la cuna a la tumba siempre estamos aprendiendo.
Cited online RadioNZ
He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai.
If kindness is sown then kindness you shall receive.
Spanish: Si te siembras la bondad la benevolencia deberás recibir.
Cited online Radio NZ
Aroha ki te tangata, Ahakoa ko wai te tangata.
Love people, in spite of who they are.
Spanish: Ama la gente, a pesar de lo que son.
Cited online RadioNZ
Tōku reo, Tōku Ohooho, Tōku reo, Tōko Mapihi Maurea.
My language is my awakening; my language is the window to my soul.
Spanish: Mi idioma es mi despertar, mi idioma es la ventana a mi alma.
Cited online RadioNZ
Haere taka mua, taka muri, Kaua e whai.
Be a leader, not a follower.
Spanish: Se un líder, no un seguidor.
Cited online RadioNZ
Ka tipu te whaihanga.
Creativity will strengthen.
Spanish: Creatividad te fortalecerá
Cited online RadioNZ
Hapaitia te ara tika pumau ai te rangatiratanga mo nga uri whakatipu.
Foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence and growth for future generations.
Spanish: Fomenta la vía al conocimiento, a la fortaleza, a la independencia y al crecimiento de las generaciones futuras.
Cited online Radio NZ
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini.
It is not my strength alone, but the strength of many that contribute to my success.
Spanish: No es mi fuerza por sí sola, pero la fuerza de los muchos que contribuyen a mi éxito.
He ora te whakapiri, He mate te whakatariri.
There is strength in unity, Defeat in anger.
Spanish: Hay fuerza en la unidad, la derrota en la ira.
Whaowhia te kete mātauranga.
Fill your basket of knowledge.
Spanish: Llene tu canasta de conocimiento.
Cited online Radio NZ
E tohe e taa te purihi.
Persistence has its rewards.
Spanish: La persistencia tiene su recompensa.
Cited online Radio NZ
Ko au te whenua, Ko te whenua ko au.
I am the land and the land is me
Spanish: Yo soy la tierra y la tierra me es
Inā kei te mohio koe ko wai koe, I anga mai koe i hea, kei te mohio koe. Kei te anga atu ki hea.
If you know who you are and where you are from, then you will know where you are going.
Spanish: Si sabes quién eres y de dónde eres, entonces tu sabrá a dónde vas.
Mau ano e to mai te ika ki a koe. Ki te tino wawata koe ki te ika ka haere mai ki a koe!
You create your own luck. If you wish it the fish will come!
Spanish: Tú creas tu propia suerte. Si lo desea el pescado vendrá!
Ka pu te rūha Ka Hao te rangatahi.
When the old net is cast aside, the new net goes fishing.
Spanish: Cuando la red antigua está a un lado, la nueva red va a pescar.
Whiria te tangata.
Weave the people together.
Spanish: Teje al pueblo.
Cited online Radio NZ
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa.
Let us keep close together, not wide apart.
Spanish: Sigamos juntos, no separados.
He tātai whetū ki te rangi, ko te ira tangata ki te whenua.
Like the myriad of stars in the heavens, so is the essence of humanity spread across the land.
Spanish: Al igual que la gran cantidad de estrellas en el cielo, por lo que es la esencia de la humanidad entera a través de la tierra.
Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei.
Aim for the highest cloud so that if you miss it, you will hit a lofty mountain.
Spanish: Trate de que la mayor nube de modo que si te lo pierdes, se alcanzó un alto monte.
E kore e taka te parapara ona tupuna; tukua iho kia a ia.
He cannot fail to inherit the talents of our ancestors. They must descend to him.
Spanish: Él no puede dejar de heredar el talento de nuestros antepasados. Se debe descender a él.
Ma tini ma mano ka rapa te whai.
Many hands make light work.
Spanish: Muchas manos aligeran el trabajo.
He rangi tā Matawhāiti, he rangi tā Matawhānui.
The person with a narrow vision sees a narrow horizon, the person with a wide vision sees a wide horizon.
Spanish: La persona con una visión estrecha ve un horizonte estrecho, la persona con una amplia visión ve un horizonte amplio.
Kia mate ururoa, kei mate whekeo.
Fight like a shark, not like an octopus.
Spanish: Lucha como un tiburón, no como un pulpo.
He maha nga kaupapa kai roto i tēnei āhuatanga hai whakaarotanga.
There are many elements to consider in this situation.
Spanish: Hay muchos elementos a considerar en esta situación.
He ao te rangi, ka ūhia ma te huruhuru o te manu kārere mai.
Just as the clouds cover the sky, so a bird must have feathers to fly with.
Spanish: Así como las nubes cubren el cielo, por lo que un pájaro debe tener plumas para volar con el.
Na koutou e tangi, na tätou katoa.
When you cry, we all cry.
Spanish: Cuando llores, todos lloramos.
Ahakoa he iti he pounamu.
Despite being small it is of great value.
Spanish: A pesar de ser pequeño es de gran valor.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11695484
Kei ōu ringaringa te ao.
The world is yours.
Spanish: El mundo es tuyo.
Tangata takahi manuhiri, he marae puehu.
A person who mistreats a guest has a dusty marae.
Spanish: Una persona que maltrata a su invitado tiene un marae con mucho polvo.
Kia ū ki te pai.
Cleave to that which is good.
Spanish: Partir de lo que es bueno.
He aha te kai ō te rangatira? He Kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero.
What is the food of the leader? It is knowledge. It is communication. video
Spanish: ¿Cuál es el alimento del líder? Es de conocimiento. Es comunicación.
Patua te taniwha o te whakama.
Do not let shyness overcome you.
Cited online Radio NZ
He kōrero te kai a te rangatira
The food of the chiefs, is talk.
Spanish: La comida de los jefes, es hablar.
Cited online Radio NZ
He kai kei aku ringa.
There is food at the end of my hands.
Spanish: Hay comida al final de mis manos.
– Cited online Radio New Zealand
Kaore te kūmara e kōrero mo tōna māngaro.
or
Kāore te kū mara e kōrero ana mo tōna ake reka.
The kūmara does not speak of its own sweetness.
Spanish: La kūmara no habla de su propia dulzura.
Cited online Radio NZ
Ka tipu ake ka puawai i te reo rangatira ma nga tamariki mokopuna ki nga ra kei te heke mai.
If kids are immersed and nourished in the Māori language, they will ensure its survival.
Spanish: Si los niños se sumergen y se alimenta en la lengua maorí, que garantice su supervivencia.
He honore, he kororia ki te atua he maungarongo ki te whenua he whakaaro pai ki nga tangata katoa
Honor and glory to god, peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind
Spanish: ¡Honor y gloria a Dios, la paz en la tierra y buena voluntad a toda la humanidad
– Cited online Radio New Zealand
E rere kau mai te awa nui nei. Mai i te kahui Maunga ki Tangaroa. Ko au te awa, Ko te awa ko au.
The river flows from the mountains to the sea. I am the river and the river is me.
Spanish: El río fluye de las montañas al mar. Yo soy el rio y el rio es mi.
Na te whakarongo me te titiro ka puta mai te korero.
Through looking and listening we gain wisdom.
Spanish: A través de observar y escuchar ganamos la sabiduría.
Toitu he kainga, whatungarongaro he tangata.
The land still remains when people have disappeared.
Spanish: La tierra sigue siendo cuando las personas han desaparecido.
http://gisborneherald.co.nz/opinion/2188269-135/we-are-only-stewards-of-land
Haere! Matenga ke moku.
Go! Your death and mine will be in different places.
Spanish: Vete, tu muerte y la mía estarán en diferentes lugares.
Te toto o te tangata he kai, te oranga o te tangata, he whenua, he oneone.
While food provides the blood in our veins, our health is drawn from the land and soil.
Spanish: Mientras que la comida proporciona la sangre en nuestras venas, nuestra salud proviene de la tierra y el suelo.
Kia hora te marino, Kia whakapapa pounamu te moana, kia tere te Kārohirohi i mua i tōu huarahi.
May the calm be widespread, May the ocean glisten as greenstone, May the shimmer of light ever dance across your pathway.
Spanish: Que la calma muy extendida, de mayo el brillo de mar como de piedra verde, que el resplandor de la luz cada vez la danza a través de tu vía.
Cited online Radio NZ
Elsewhere on the Web
Proverbs – Māori Language Net
Proverbs – Massey University
Wisdom from the world of whakataukī
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – Facebook – @reomaori
Recommended Viewing
Whakataukī is a TV show about the proverbs heard within the subtribes and tribes of the country, presented in the Māori language. Rāhui Papa interviews tribal language experts for the story context of each proverb, its origins and more comprehensive meaning. He also delves in-depth to the expressions and words of the language, and various language functions.
Embedded Tweets
Energy flows where attention goes >>> Te kaha me te wairua >>>
Planeta.com