1Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:
1¶ Whakarongo, e aku tamariki, ki te whakaako a te matua, tahuri mai hoki kia matauria ai nga whakaaro mohio.
2For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.
2He pai hoki te kupu mohio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua taku ture e whakarerea.
3For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
3He tama ano hoki ahau ki toku papa, a he ngawari, he mea kotahi e matenuitia ana e toku whaea.
4And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;
4I whakaako ano ia i ahau, i mea ki ahau, Puritia aku kupu e tou ngakau; kia mau ki aku whakahau, a e ora koe.
5Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
5Whaia mou te whakaaro nui, whaia mou te matauranga; kaua e wareware ki tera, kaua hoki e neke atu i nga kupu a toku mangai.
6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
6Kaua ia e whakarerea, a mana koe e tiaki; arohaina ia, a mana koe e mau ai.
7Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
7Ko te whakaaro nui te tino mea; no reira whaia mau te whakaaro nui; a i ou whiwhinga katoa, kia whiwhi koe ki te matauranga.
8Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
8Whakanuia ia, a mana koe ka kake ai; ka whakahonore ia i a koe ki te awhitia e koe.
9She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.
9Ka homai e ia he pare ataahua ki tou mahunga, ka potaea ano koe e ia ki te karauna whakapaipai.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
10Whakarongo, e taku tama, maharatia aku kupu, a he maha nga tau e ora ai koe.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
11He mea whakaako koe naku ki te ara o te whakaaro nui; he mea arahi koe naku i nga ara o te tika.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
12Ka haere koe, e kore ou takahanga e whakakikitia mai; ki te rere koe, e kore koe e tutuki.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.
13Kia mau ki te ako, kaua e tukua atu; matapoporetia iho, ko tou oranga hoki ia.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.
14¶ Kaua e haere i te ara o te hunga kino, kaua hoki e takahia te huarahi o te hunga he.
15Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.
15Anga ke ake, kaua e tika na reira; peka ake i taua ara, haere tonu atu.
16For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
16E kore hoki ratou e moe ki te kore e oti tetahi mahi he ma ratou; riro rawa to ratou moe, ki te kahore tetahi tangata e hinga i a ratou.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
17No te kino hoki te taro e kainga ana e ratou, no te nanakia te waina e inumia ana e ratou.
18But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
18Ko te huarahi ia o te hunga tika, koia ano kei te marama e whiti ana, a ka neke haere tonu ake tona marama, a taea noatia te tino ra.
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
19Ko te ara o te hunga kino, me he pouri; e kore ratou e mohio ki te mea i tutuki ai ratou.
20My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
20¶ E taku tama, tahuri ki aku kupu; anga mai tou taringa ki aku korero.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
21Kei kotiti ke enei i ou kanohi; puritia i waenganui o tou ngakau.
22For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
22He oranga enei mo te hunga e kitea ai, he rongoa mo o ratou kikokiko katoa.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
23Kia pau ou mahara ki te tiaki i tou ngakau; no reira hoki nga putanga o te ora.
24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
24Whakarerea te mangai whanoke, kia matara rawa i a koe nga ngutu tutu.
25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
25Kia hangai tonu te titiro whakamua a ou kanohi; kia titiro ou kamo ki mua tonu i a koe.
26Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
26Whakatikaia te huarahi o ou waewae, kia u ano hoki ou ara katoa.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
27Kaua e peka ki matau, ki maui; kia anga ke tou waewae i te kino.