1¶ He pera i te hukarere i te raumati, i te ua hoki i te kotinga witi, te kore e tau o te honore mo te wairangi.
1As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.
2¶ He pera i te manu e rererere noa ana, i te waroa i ona rerenga te kanga pokanoa; e kore e whakatau.
2As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.
3¶ He whiu mo te hoiho, he paraire mo te kaihe, a he rakau mo te tuara o nga wairangi.
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
4¶ Kei rite ki tona whakaarokore tau whakautu ki te wairangi, kei rite hoki a koe na ki a ia.
4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5Kia rite ki tona whakaarokore tau whakautu ki te wairangi, kei mea ia he whakaaro nui ia.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6¶ Ko te tangata e tuku korero ana ma te ringa o te wairangi, e tapahi ana i ona waewae ano, e inumia ana hoki te he.
6He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh damage.
7E tautau noa ana nga waewae o te kopa: he pera hoki te whakatauki i te mangai o te wairangi.
7The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Ko te takai mea whakapaipai i roto i te puranga kohatu, ko tona rite kei te tangata e whakakororia ano i te wairangi.
8As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
9E rite ana ki te tataramoa e wero nei i te ringa o te haurangi, koia ano te whakatauki i te mangai o nga wairangi.
9[As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10¶ Ka rite ki te kaikopere i tu ai te katoa, te tangata e utu ana i te wairangi me te tangata hoki e utu ana i nga tira haere.
10A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.
11¶ Ka rite ki te kuri e hoki nei ki tona ruaki, te wairangi e tuarua ana i tona poauau.
11As a dog turneth back to its vomit, [so] a fool repeateth his folly.
12¶ Ka kite koe i te tangata e mea ana ki a ia he whakaaro nui? Ki ta te whakaaro tera e rahi ake ta te wairangi i tana.
12Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13¶ E ki ana te mangere, He raiona kei te ara; he raiona kei nga waharoa.
13The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!
14¶ He pera i te tatau e tahurihuri ra i runga i ona inihi, koia ano te mangere i runga i tona moenga.
14[As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.
15¶ E kuhua ana e te mangere tona ringa ki te rihi; he mahi ngenge rawa ki a ia te whakahoki mai ki tona mangai.
15The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16¶ He nui ke ake te whakaaro nui o te mangere, ki tana nei whakaaro, i to nga tangata tokowhitu e whakaatu ana i te tikanga.
16A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that answer discreetly.
17¶ Ko te tangata e haere atu ana, e pokanoa ana ki te whawhai ehara nei i a ia, ko tona rite kei te tangata e hopu ana i te kuri ki ona taringa.
17He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18¶ Rite tonu ki te haurangi e makamaka ana i nga mea mura, i nga pere, i te mate,
18As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19Te tangata e tinihanga ana ki tona hoa, e mea ana, He teka ianei he takaro taku?
19so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?
20¶ Ki te kahore he wahie, ka mate te ahi: ki te kore hoki he tangata kawekawe korero, ka mutu te ngangare.
20Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.
21He waro ki nga ngarahu wera, he wahie ki te ahi; he pera te tangata totohe ki te tahu i te ngangare.
21[As] coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.
22He rite nga kupu a te kaikawekawe korero ki te maramara reka, tae tonu iho ki nga wahi o roto rawa o te kopu.
22The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23¶ He ngutu puka me te ngakau kino, ko te rite kei te oko oneone i whakakikoruatia ki te para hiriwa.
23Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24¶ Ko te tangata mauahara e whakaware ana ki ona ngutu, otiia e rongoatia ana e ia te tinihanga ki roto ki a ia:
24He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:
25Ki te pai tona reo, kaua e whakapono ki a ia; e whitu hoki nga mea whakarihariha kei roto i tona ngakau.
25when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26Ahakoa hipoki tona mauahara i a ia ki te tinihanga, ka whakakitea nuitia tona kino ki te aroaro o te whakaminenga.
26Though [his] hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.
27¶ Ko te tangata e keri ana i te rua, ka taka ano ki roto: a ko te tangata e huri ana i te kohatu, ka hoki mai ano ki runga ki a ia.
27Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
28¶ E kino ana te arero teka ki ana i kuru ai; a, ko ta te mangai whakapati, he mahi kia ngaro.
28A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.