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 you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

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

both low and high, 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 words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.

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

I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.

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 fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

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

Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—

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

none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

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

For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

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

That he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.

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 wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth 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.

Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

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, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.

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 destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.

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.

They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.

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 redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.

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

Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased.

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 shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after 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.

Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and 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 shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall 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.

A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.