1¶ He whakatauki ano enei na Horomona, he mea tuhi e nga tangata a Hetekia kingi o Hura.
1Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
2¶ Ko to te Atua whakakororia, he hunga mea; ko to nga kingi whakakororia he rapu mea.
2The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
3Ko te rangi mo te tiketike, ko te whenua mo te hohonu, a ko te ngakau o nga kingi, te taea te rapu.
3The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
4¶ Tahia atu te para i te hiriwa, a ka puta mai he oko ma te kaitahi para:
4Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
5Tangohia atu te tangata kino i te aroaro o te kingi, a ka u tona torona i runga i te tika.
5Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
6¶ Kei whakaputa i a koe ki mua i te aroaro o te kingi, kei tu hoki ki te wahi o nga metararahi.
6Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
7He pai he hoki kia kiia mai ki a koe, Haere mai ki runga nei; i te mea kia whakahokia iho koe ki raro i te aroaro o te rangatira i kitea nei e ou kanohi.
7For better [that] he hath said to thee, `Come thou up hither,` Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.
8¶ Kei hohoro te haere ki te ngangare, kei kore e kitea e koe tau e mea ai i tona mutunga iho, ina meinga koe e tou hoa kia whakama.
8Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
9Tohea tau tohe ki tou hoa tonu, a kaua e whakina te mea hunga a tetahi:
9Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
10Kei kohukohutia koe e te tangata i rongo, a kore ake tou ingoa kino e tahuri atu.
10Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
11¶ He kupu i tika te korero, ko tona rite kei nga a poro koura i roto i nga kete hiriwa.
11Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12He pera i te whakakai koura, i te whakapaipai koura parakore koia ano te ako a te whakaaro nui ki te taringa rongo.
12A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
13¶ Rite tonu ki te matao o te hukarere i te kotinga witi te karere pono ki ona kaingare; ka ora hoki i a ia te ngakau o ona ariki.
13As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
14¶ He pera i nga kapua me te hau uakore, koia ano te rite o te tangata e whakamanamana ana ki ana hakari horihori.
14Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15¶ Ma te roa e whakamanawanui ana ka whakaae mai ai te kingi, a ma te arero ngawarika mangungu ai te wheua.
15By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
16¶ Kua kitea e koe he honi? Kainga ko te wahi e makona ai koe; kei ki rawa koe i taua mea, ka ruakina e koe.
16Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
17¶ Kia takitahi tou waewae ki te whare o tou hoa; kei hoha ia ki a koe, a ka kino ki a koe.
17Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour`s house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
18¶ Ko te tangata e whakaatu teka ana mo tona hoa, he patu ia, he hoari, a he pere koi.
18A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
19¶ Ko te whakawhirinaki ki te tangata tinihanga i te wa o te raru, e rite ana ki te niho whati, ki te waewae kua takoki.
19A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
20¶ Ko te tangata e waiata ana ki te ngakau pouri, e rite ana ki te tangata e whakarere ana i te kakahu i te rangi maeke, ki te winika hoki i runga i te houra.
20Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
21¶ Ki te matekai tou hoariri whangaia ki te taro; ki te matewai whakainumia ki te wai;
21If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
22Ka purangatia hoki e koe he waro kapura ki tona mahunga, a ka utua tau e Ihowa.
22For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
23¶ E mauria ana mai e te hauraro he ua: e peratia ana hoki e te arero ngautuara, he kanohi pukuriri.
23A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
24¶ He pai ke te noho i te kokonga o te tuanui, i te noho tahi me te wahine ngangare i roto i te whare mahorahora.
24Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
25¶ He rongo pai no te whenua tawhiti, tona rite kei nga wai matao ki te wairua matewai.
25[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26¶ Me te manawa whenua i takatakahia, me te puna i whakaparuparutia, koia ano te tangata tika e hinga ana i te aroaro o te tangata kino.
26A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27¶ Ehara i te mea pai te kai nui i te honi; waihoki ko a te tangata rapu i to ratou ake kororia ehara i te kororia.
27The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one`s own honour — honour.
28¶ Ko te tangata e kore nei e pehi i tona wairua, e rite ana ki te pa kua pakaru, kahore ona taiepa.
28A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!