Maori proverbs

From Wikiquote

[edit] Translations of Maori proverbs

• Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao, Māku e kī atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata!
  • Translation: "Ask me what is the greatest thing in the world, I will reply: It is people, it is people, it is people!

• The kumara nevers talks about how sweet it is.
  • Translation: Do not boast of your own endeavours.

• E iti noa ana, na te aroha
  • Translation: Though my present be small, my love goes with it

• Toitü he whenua, whatungarongaro he tangata
  • Translation: Land is permanent, man disappears.

• He iti wai köwhao waka e tahuri te waka
  • It may only be a small storm yet a successful outcome is imminent.

• He mahi kai te taonga
  • Survival is the treasured goal.

• Ka mate käinga tahi, ka ora käinga rua
  • There is more than one way to achieve an objective.

• Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa
  • Let us keep close together, not far apart.

• He tini nga whetu e ngaro I te kapua iti
  • Translation: Many stars cannot be concealed by a small cloud.

• He taonga nō te whenua me hoki anō ki te whenua
  • Translation: What is given by the land should return to the land