1¶ E taku tama, kei wareware ki taku ture; kia puritia hoki aku whakahau e tou ngakau:
1My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
2Katahi ka nui ake nga ra roa mou, nga tau e ora ai, me te ata noho.
2For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
3Kei whakarerea koe e te atawhai, e te pono; heia ki tou kaki; tuhituhia iho, ko tou ngakau ano hei papa.
3Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4Penei ka whiwhi koe ki te atawhai, ki te matauranga pai i te aroaro o te Atua, o te tangata.
4And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5Whakapaua tou ngakau ki te whakawhirinaki ki a Ihowa, kaua hoki e okioki ki tou matauranga ake.
5Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6I ou ara katoa whakaaro ki a ia, a mana e whakatika ou huarahi.
6In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
7¶ Kei whakaaro ki a koe he mohio koe; e wehi ki a Ihowa, kia mawehe i te kino.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
8Hei ora tena ki tou pito, hei makuku ki ou wheua.
8Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9Kia whai kororia a Ihowa i ou rawa, i nga matamua ano hoki o au hua katoa.
9Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10A ka ki au toa i nga mea maha, ka pakaru ano hoki au rua waina i te waina.
10And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11E taku tama, kaua e whakahawea ki ta Ihowa papaki; kei ngakaukore ano koe ina akona e ia:
11Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
12Ka akona hoki e Ihowa tana e aroha ai, ka pera tana me ta te matua ki te tamaiti e matenuitia ana e ia.
12For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13¶ Ka hari te tangata kua kitea nei e ia te whakaaro nui, me te tangata ano kua whiwhi ki te matauranga.
13O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
14Pai atu hoki te hokohoko o tera i to te hiriwa e hokohokona nei, ona hua i te koura parakore.
14For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold — her increase.
15Nui atu ona utu i o nga rupi; e kore ano hoki nga mea katoa e minaminatia e koe e rite ki a ia.
15Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.
16Kei tona ringa matau nga ra roa; kei tona maui nga taonga me te kororia.
16Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.
17Ko ona ara he ara ahuareka, ko ona ara katoa he rangimarie.
17Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.
18He rakau ia no te ora ki te hunga e u ana ki a ia; ka hari te tangata e pupuri ana i a ia.
18A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19Na te whakaaro nui o Ihowa i whakaturia ai e ia te whenua; na tona mohio tana whakapumautanga i nga rangi.
19Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20He mohio nona i pakaru ai nga rire, i maturuturu ai te tomairangi o nga kapua.
20By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
21¶ E taku tama, kei kotiti ke ena i ou kanohi: puritia te whakaaro nui me te ngarahu pai.
21My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22Kei ena he oranga mo tou wairua, he whakapaipai mo tou kaki.
22And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23Penei ka haere koe i tou ara, te ai he wehi, e kore ano tou waewae e tutuki.
23Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24Ka takoto koe, e kore e wehi, ina, ka takoto koe, ka reka ano tau moe.
24If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25Kaua e wehi i te mataku huaki tata, i te whakangaromanga ranei o te hunga kino ina pa mai.
25Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
26Ko Ihowa hoki hei okiokinga mou, a mana e tiaki tou waewae kei mau.
26For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27¶ Kaua e kaiponuhia te pai ki te hunga i tika nei ma ratou, i nga wa e taea ai e tou ringa.
27Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
28Kaua e mea ki tou hoa, Haere, ka hoki mai ai, a apopo ka hoatu e ahau; i te mea kei a koe ano te mea e takoto ana.
28Say not thou to thy friend, `Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,` And substance with thee.
29Kei whakatakoto i te kino mo tou hoa, kei te noho hu noa na hoki ia i tou taha.
29Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
30Kei ngangau pokanoa ki te tangata, ki te mea kahore ana mahi kino ki a koe.
30Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
31Kei hae ki te tangata nanakia, kaua hoki e whiriwhiria tetahi o ona ara.
31Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
32He mea whakarihariha hoki te whanoke ki a Ihowa; kei te hunga tika ia tona whakaaro ngaro.
32For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33He kanga na Ihowa kei roto i te whare o te tangata kino, he mea manaaki ia nana te nohoanga o te hunga tika.
33The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34He pono ka whakahi ia ki te hunga whakahi, ka puta ia tona atawhai ki te hunga whakaiti.
34If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35Ka whiwhi te hunga whakaaro nui ki te kororia; he whakama ia te whakanui o nga wairangi.
35Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!