¹¶ Ko nga kupu a Kingi Remuera; ko te poropititanga i whakaakona ai ia e tona whaea.

¹The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which 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“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

³Kaua e hoatu tou kaha ki nga wahine, ou ara hoki ki te mea whakangaro o nga kingi.

³Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys 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?

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, ‘Where is 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 they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

⁶Hoatu he wai kaha ma te tangata e tata ana te marere, he waina hoki ki nga wairua pouri:

⁶Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; 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.

⁷Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

⁸Kia puaki tou mangai mo te wahangu, i te whakawakanga o te hunga katoa kua waiho mo te mate.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

⁹Kia puaki tou mangai, whakaritea te whakawa i runga i te tika, tohea te tohe a te ware, a te rawakore.

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to 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.

¹⁰ Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order. Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.

¹¹Ka whakapono te ngakau o tana tane ki a ia, a kahore ona hapanga i te taonga.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.

¹²He pai tana e mea ai ki a ia, kahore hoki he kino, i nga ra katoa e ora ai ia.

¹²She does him good, and not harm, all the 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 seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.

¹⁴Ko tona rite kei nga kaipuke o nga kaihokohoko; e mauria mai ana e ia tana kai i tawhiti.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.

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.

¹⁵She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

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 considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷E whitiki ana ia i tona hope ki te kaha, e mea ana i ona takakau kia pakari.

¹⁷She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸Ka kite ia he pai tana i hokohoko ai: e kore tana rama e mate i te po.

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.

¹⁹Ka totoro atu ona ringa ki te mea takai miro, ka pupuri ona ringa ki te pou muka.

¹⁹She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

²⁰Ka wherahia tona ringa ki te ware; ae ra, ka totoro atu ona ringa ki te rawakore.

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands 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 the snow for her household; 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.

²²She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³E mohiotia ana tana tane i nga kuwaha, ina noho tahi ia ki nga kaumatua o te whenua.

²³Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the 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.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.

²⁵He kaha, he honore ona kakahu; a e kata ana ia ki nga ra o muri atu.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.

²⁶He nui ona whakaaro ina puaki tona mangai; kei tona arero te ture o te atawhai.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction 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 looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Ka whakatika ana tamariki, a he kupu manaaki ta ratou mona; Tana tane hoki, ka whakamoemiti ano ia ki a ia, ka mea:

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:

²⁹He tokomaha nga tamahine i u te pai o ta ratou mahi, otiia hira ake tau i a ratou katoa.

²⁹“Many women do noble things, but you excel 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.

³⁰Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.

³¹Hoatu ki a ia o nga hua o ona ringa; a ma ana mahi ia e whakamoemiti i nga kuwaha.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!