1 D ead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

Ma nga ngaro mate ka piro whakahouhou ai te hinu a te kaiwhakananu: ka pera ano te whakaaro nui me te ingoa nui, he iti noa te wairangi mana e tami.

2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

Kei tona ringa matau te ngakau o te tangata whakaaro nui; kei tona maui ia te ngakau o te wairangi.

3 Y ea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

Ae ra hoki, ka haere te wairangi i te ara, ka taka ona mahara, a ka korero ia ki nga tangata katoa he wairangi ia.

4 I f the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

Ki te ara te wairua o te rangatira, he riri ki a koe, kaua tou wahi e whakarerea; ka ai hoki te whakangawari hei whakamarie mo nga hara nui.

5 T here is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

Tenei tetahi kino i kitea e ahau i raro i te ra, e rite tonu ana ki te he i puta mai i te rangatira.

6 f olly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

Ko te wairangi e whakanohoia ana ki runga ki nga wahi tiketike rawa, a ko nga tangata taonga e noho ana i te wahi i raro.

7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.

I kite ahau i nga kaimahi i runga i te hoiho, a ko nga rangatira e haere ana, ano he kaimahi, i runga i te whenua.

8 H e that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.

Ko te tangata e keri ana i te rua, ka taka ano ki roto; ko te tangata e wahi ana i te taiepa, ka ngaua e te nakahi.

9 W hoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

Ko te tangata e tarai ana i nga kohatu, ka mamae ano i reira; ko te tangata e tata ana i te rakau, ka ora noa ano i reira.

10 I f the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

Ki te puhuki te rino, a kahore e whakakoia te mata, kia nui ake ano tona kaha; he pai ia nga whakaaro nui hei whakatikatika.

11 I f the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

Ki te ngau te nakahi i te mea kiano i whakawaia, kahore hoki he painga o te kaiwhakawai.

12 T he words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

He ataahua nga kupu a te mangai o te tangata whakaaro nui; tena ko te wairangi ka horomia a ia ano e ona ngutu.

13 T he beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

Ko te timatanga o nga kupu a tona mangai he wairangi; ko te mutunga o tana korero, he haurangi, he he.

14 A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

He maha ano hoki nga kupu a te wairangi: engari e kore te tangata e mohio ko te aha e puta mai. Na, ko nga mea e puta mai i muri i a ia, ma wai ra e whakaatu ki a ia?

15 T he labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

Hoha iho nga wairangi i tana mahi i tana mahi: e kore nei hoki ia e matau ki te haere ki te pa.

16 W oe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Aue, te mate mou, e te whenua he tamaiti nei tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te ata!

17 H appy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

Ka hari koe, e te whenua, he tamaiti nei no nga rangatira tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te wa e tika ai, hei mea whakakaha, ehara i te mea hei whakahaurangi.

18 B y slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

Ma te mangere ka totohu iho ai te tuanui o te whare; ma te ngoikore ano o nga ringa ka tuturu ai te whare.

19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

Hei mea mo te kata te hakari i tukua ai, he mea whakahari ano te waina; a ma te hiriwa ka rite ai nga mea katoa.

20 R evile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

Kaua e kanga te kingi, kaua rawa i roto i tou whakaaro; kaua hoki e kanga te tangata taonga i roto i tou whare moenga: no te mea ka kawea te reo e tetahi manu o te rangi, ka korerotia hoki taua mea e tetahi mea whai parirau.