1 K i te tino kaiwhakatangi. He himene ma nga tama a Koraha. Whakarongo ki tenei, e nga iwi katoa: tahuri mai o koutou taringa, e nga tangata katoa o te ao.

Hear this, all people. Listen, all who live in the world,

2 E nga tangata iti, koutou ko nga tangata rahi, e te tangata taonga korua ko te rawakore.

both small and great, rich and poor together.

3 K a whakapuakina he matauranga e toku mangai: a he ata ngarahu te whakaaro o toku ngakau.

My mouth will speak wisdom. And the thoughts of my heart will be understanding.

4 K a titaha toku taringa ki te kupu whakarite; ka puaki taku pepeha i runga i te hapa.

I will turn my ear to a wise saying. With a harp, I will tell what is hard to understand.

5 K ia wehi ahau ki te aha i nga ra o te kino, ina karapotia ahau e te kino kei oku rekereke?

Why should I be afraid in the days of trouble, when the sin of those who hate me is all around me?

6 K o te hunga e whakawhirinaki ana ki o ratou taonga, e whakamanamana ana ki te nui o o ratou rawa;

They trust in their riches, and are proud of all they have.

7 E kore tetahi o ratou e ahei te hoko i tona teina, te hoatu ranei i tetahi utu mona ki te Atua;

No man can save his brother. No man can pay God enough to save him.

8 H e nui hoki te utu mo to ratou wairua, a me whakarere atu ake ake;

The cost is much for his soul to be saved. Man should stop trying

9 K ia ora tonu ai ia ake ake: kia kaua e kite i te pirau.

to live forever and not see the grave.

10 E kite ana hoki ia e matemate ana nga tangata whakaaro nui, e ngaro ngatahi ana te poauau me te whakaarokore, a mahue iho o ratou taonga ki etahi atu.

For he sees that even wise men die. The fool and those who cannot think well die alike. And they leave their riches to others.

11 K i to ratou whakaaro puku, tera e pumau tonu o ratou whare me o ratou nohoanga, ki nga whakatupuranga katoa: huaina iho o ratou whenua ki o ratou ingoa.

They think in their hearts that their houses will last forever, and that the places where they live will last for all their children to follow. They have used their own names to name their lands.

12 H eoi kahore te tangata e noho tonu i roto i te honore: ko tona rite kei nga kararehe ka moti nei.

But man with all his honor does not last. He is like the animals that die.

13 K o to ratou ara tenei, ara ko to ratou poauau: heoi e whakapai ana to ratou uri ki a ratou korero. (Hera.

This is the way of the foolish, and of those after them who believe in their words.

14 K ei te hipi te rite: ko te wahi mo ratou ko te reinga; ko te mate hei hepara mo ratou, hei rangatira ano te hunga tika mo ratou i te ata; ko to ratou ataahua ma te reinga e whakamoti, kia kore ai he whare mona.

Like sheep they are meant for the grave. Death will be their shepherd. And those who are right with God will rule over them in the morning. Their bodies will be eaten by the grave, so that they have no place to stay.

15 M a te Atua ia toku wairua e hoko mai i te reinga: ko ia hoki hei tukunga atu moku. (Hera.

But God will free my soul from the power of the grave. For He will take me to Himself.

16 K aua e wehi ua whai taonga te tangata, ina nui haere te kororia o tona whare;

Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich and when his house grows in greatness.

17 K ahore hoki ana mea e mau atu ai ia ina mate; e kore tona kororia e tuku iho i muri i a ia.

For when he dies he will take nothing with him. His greatness will not go down with him.

18 W hakapai noa ia i tona wairua i a ia e ora ana; a ka whakamoemititia koe ua pai au mahi ki a koe ano.

Even if while he lives, he thinks good of himself, and even though men praise you when you do well for yourself,

19 K a haere ia ki te whakatupuranga o ona tupuna: e kore rawa ratou e kite i te marama.

he will go and join the family of his fathers. They will never see the light.

20 K o te tangata e whakahonoretia ana, a kahore e whai whakaaro, kei nga kararehe ka moti nei tona rite.

Man with all his honor, yet without understanding, is like the animals that die.