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.
1Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for 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.
2Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
3¶ He whiu mo te hoiho, he paraire mo te kaihe, a he rakau mo te tuara o nga wairangi.
3A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, 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.
4Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like 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.
6One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
7E tautau noa ana nga waewae o te kopa: he pera hoki te whakatauki i te mangai o te wairangi.
7Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable 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 one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor 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.
9Like a thornbush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable 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.
10As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
11¶ Ka rite ki te kuri e hoki nei ki tona ruaki, te wairangi e tuarua ana i tona poauau.
11As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats 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.
12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13¶ E ki ana te mangere, He raiona kei te ara; he raiona kei nga waharoa.
13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams 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.
14As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on 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 buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back 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.
16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
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.
17Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18¶ Rite tonu ki te haurangi e makamaka ana i nga mea mura, i nga pere, i te mate,
18Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
19Te tangata e tinihanga ana ki tona hoa, e mea ana, He teka ianei he takaro taku?
19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”
20¶ Ki te kahore he wahie, ka mate te ahi: ki te kore hoki he tangata kawekawe korero, ka mutu te ngangare.
20For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
21He waro ki nga ngarahu wera, he wahie ki te ahi; he pera te tangata totohe ki te tahu i te ngangare.
21As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling 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 whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.
23¶ He ngutu puka me te ngakau kino, ko te rite kei te oko oneone i whakakikoruatia ki te para hiriwa.
23Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
24¶ Ko te tangata mauahara e whakaware ana ki ona ngutu, otiia e rongoatia ana e ia te tinihanga ki roto ki a ia:
24A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
25Ki te pai tona reo, kaua e whakapono ki a ia; e whitu hoki nga mea whakarihariha kei roto i tona ngakau.
25When his speech is charming, don’t believe him; 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.
26His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
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.
27Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on 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 hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.