1¶ Ko te tangata tu ke, e whai ana i ta tona ake hiahia, e ngangau ana ki nga whakaaro totika katoa.
1For [an object of] desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.
2¶ Kahore o te whakaarokore ahuareka ki te matauranga; engari kia whakakitea e ia tona ngakau.
2A fool delighteth not in understanding, But — in uncovering his heart.
3¶ I te taenga mai o te tangata kino ka tae mai ano te whakahawea, me te tawai hei hoa mo te whakama.
3With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame — reproach.
4¶ He wai hohonu nga kupu a te mangai o te tangata; he awa e rere ana te puna o te whakaaro nui.
4Deep waters [are] the words of a man`s mouth, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5¶ Ehara i te mea pai te whakapai ki te kanohi o te tangata kino, te whakapeau ke ranei i ta te tangata tika ina whakawa.
5Acceptance of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6¶ E uru ana nga ngutu o te whakaarokore ki te totohe, e karanga ana tona mangai ki nga whiu.
6The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.
7Hei hunga ano mona te mangai o te whakaarokore; a ko ona ngutu hei rore mo tona wairua.
7The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8¶ Ano he kai reka nga kupu a te kawe korero; tae tonu iho ki nga wahi o roto rawa o te kopu.
8The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9¶ Ko te tangata ano hoki e mangere ana ki tana mahi, hei teina ia ki te tangata maumau.
9He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he [is] to a destroyer.
10¶ Hei pourewa kaha te ingoa o Ihowa; rere ana te tangata tika ki reira, a ora ake.
10A tower of strength [is] the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.
11¶ Ko nga rawa o te tangata taonga hei pa kaha mona, hei pa tiketike ki tona whakaaro.
11The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12¶ I mua ake o te whakangaromanga ka whakakake te ngakau o te tangata; i mua ake ano hoki o te honore ko te ngakau papaku.
12Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour [is] humility.
13¶ Ko te tangata e whakahoki kupu ana i te mea kahore ano ia i rongo noa, he mahi wairangi tera nana, he hanga whakama.
13Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.
14¶ E whakamanawanui te wairua o te tangata ki tona mate; tena ko te wairua maru, ko wai e kaha ki tera?
14The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?
15¶ Ka whiwhi te ngakau o te tangata matau ki te mohio; e rapu ana hoki te taringa o nga whakaaro nui ki te mohio.
15The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16¶ Ma te mea tuku noa a te tangata ka watea ai he wahi mona, ka kawea hoki ia e tera ki te aroaro o nga tangata nunui.
16The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.
17¶ Ko te tangata nana te kupu tuatahi i te whakawa me te mea kei a ia te tika; na ka haere mai tona hoa, kei te rapu i te tikanga o tana.
17Righteous [is] the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.
18¶ Ma te rota e mutu ai nga tautohe, a ko tera hei tauarai i waenganui o te hunga kaha.
18The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.
19¶ Ko te tuakana, teina ranei, i whakatakariritia, pakeke atu i te pa kaha: a ko aua tu ngangare me he tutaki tatau no te whare rangatira.
19A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20¶ Ka ki te kopu o te tangata i nga hua o tona mangai, ka makona ia i nga hua o ona ngutu.
20From the fruit of a man`s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21¶ Ko te mate, ko te ora kei te arero: ko te hunga e aroha ana ki tera ka kai i ona hua.
21Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22¶ Ko te tangata kua kite i te wahine mana, kua kite i te mea pai, kua whiwhi hoki ki ta Ihowa whakapai.
22[Whoso] hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
23¶ He inoi ta te rawakore hanga; he taikaha ia te whakahoki a te tangata taonga.
23[With] supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.
24¶ Ko te tangata tini nga hoa aroha e whai ana i te he mona; tera ano ia te hoa aroha, nui atu i to te tuakana, i to te teina, tona piri mai.
24A man with friends [is] to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!