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!
o Translation: "Ask me what is the greatest thing in the world, I will reply: It is people, it is people, it is people!


* Kaore te kumara e korero mo tona ake reka
* The kumara nevers talks about how sweet it is.
o Translation: Do not boast of your own endeavours.


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


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


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


* He mahi kai te taonga
o Survival is the treasured goal.


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


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


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


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


* Whaia te iti kahurangi. Ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei
o Seek success in life. Should you bow, let it be to a lofty mountain.


* Kia mate ururoa, kei mate wheke
o Fight like a shark, not like an octopus.