1¶ Ko nga kupu a Kingi Remuera; ko te poropititanga i whakaakona ai ia e tona whaea.
1Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
2He aha, e taku tama? He aha, e te tama a toku kopu? A he aha, e te tama a aku kupu taurangi?
2`What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
3Kaua e hoatu tou kaha ki nga wahine, ou ara hoki ki te mea whakangaro o nga kingi.
3Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
4Ehara ma nga kingi, e Remuera, ehara ma nga kingi te inu waina; ehara hoki ma nga rangatira te mea, Kei hea he wai kaha?
4Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.
5Kei inu ratou, a ka wareware ki te ture, a ka whakapeau ke i te whakawa o te tangata e tukinotia ana.
5Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
6Hoatu he wai kaha ma te tangata e tata ana te marere, he waina hoki ki nga wairua pouri:
6Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
7Tukua ia kia inu, kia wareware ai ki tona rawakore, a kore ake he mahara ki ona mate.
7He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.
8Kia puaki tou mangai mo te wahangu, i te whakawakanga o te hunga katoa kua waiho mo te mate.
8Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.
9Kia puaki tou mangai, whakaritea te whakawa i runga i te tika, tohea te tohe a te ware, a te rawakore.
9Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!`
10¶ Ko wai e kite i te wahine e u ana tona pai? Ko tona utu hoki kei runga noa atu i to nga rupi.
10A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.
11Ka whakapono te ngakau o tana tane ki a ia, a kahore ona hapanga i te taonga.
11The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.
12He pai tana e mea ai ki a ia, kahore hoki he kino, i nga ra katoa e ora ai ia.
12She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.
13E kimi ana ia i te huruhuru hipi, i te muka, a ka ngakau nui te mahi a ona ringa.
13She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.
14Ko tona rite kei nga kaipuke o nga kaihokohoko; e mauria mai ana e ia tana kai i tawhiti.
14She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.
15E maranga ana hoki ia i te mea e po tonu ana, a hoatu ana e ia he kai ma tona whare, he mahi hoki e rite ana ma ana kotiro.
15Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.
16E whakaaroaro ana ia ki tetahi mara, a ka hokona e ia: whakatokia ana e ia he mara waina, he hua na ona ringa.
16She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
17E whitiki ana ia i tona hope ki te kaha, e mea ana i ona takakau kia pakari.
17She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.
18Ka kite ia he pai tana i hokohoko ai: e kore tana rama e mate i te po.
18She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
19Ka totoro atu ona ringa ki te mea takai miro, ka pupuri ona ringa ki te pou muka.
19Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
20Ka wherahia tona ringa ki te ware; ae ra, ka totoro atu ona ringa ki te rawakore.
20Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.
21E kore ia e wehi i te hukarere mo tona whare; no te mea kua kakahuria tona whare katoa ki te ngangana.
21She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
22Oti ake i a ia te whatuwhatu he whariki mona; he rinena pai, he papura ona kakahu.
22Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
23E mohiotia ana tana tane i nga kuwaha, ina noho tahi ia ki nga kaumatua o te whenua.
23Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.
24E hanga ana e ia he rinena pai, a hokona atu ana; e hoatu ana e ia he whitiki ki nga kaihoko.
24Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.
25He kaha, he honore ona kakahu; a e kata ana ia ki nga ra o muri atu.
25Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.
26He nui ona whakaaro ina puaki tona mangai; kei tona arero te ture o te atawhai.
26Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
27Ka ata tirohia e ia nga ara o tona whare, e kore ano ia e kai i te taro o te mangere.
27She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.
28Ka whakatika ana tamariki, a he kupu manaaki ta ratou mona; Tana tane hoki, ka whakamoemiti ano ia ki a ia, ka mea:
28Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,
29He tokomaha nga tamahine i u te pai o ta ratou mahi, otiia hira ake tau i a ratou katoa.
29`Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.`
30He mea teka noa te manako, he mea horihori te ataahua: tena ko te wahine e wehi ana i a Ihowa, ko ia e whakamoemititia.
30The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.
31Hoatu ki a ia o nga hua o ona ringa; a ma ana mahi ia e whakamoemiti i nga kuwaha.
31Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!