1 H e mea whakarihariha ki a Ihowa te pauna he; engari te taimaha tika tana i pai ai.

¶ A false balance is abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.

2 K a tae te whakapehapeha, ka tae ano te whakama; kei te hunga whakaiti ia te whakaaro nui.

¶ When pride comes, then comes shame, but with the humble is wisdom.

3 K o to ratou ngakau tapatahi hei arahi i te hunga tika; ka ai ano ko te whanoke ia o te hunga poka ke hei whakangaro mo ratou.

¶ The perfection of the upright shall guide them in the way, but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

4 E kore te taonga e whai mana i te ra o te riri: kei te tika ia he oranga ake i te mate.

¶ Riches shall not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness shall deliver from death.

5 M a te tika o te ngakau tapatahi ka tika ai tona ara; ka hinga ia te tangata kino i runga i tona kino.

¶ The righteousness of the perfect shall straighten his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6 M a te tika o te hunga tika ka mawhiti ai ratou; ka mau ia nga poka ke i runga i to ratou kino.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but transgressors shall be imprisoned in their own sin.

7 I te matenga o te tangata kino, kore iho ana mea i tumanako atu ai: kahore noa iho he tumanakohanga ma te hunga he.

¶ When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes, and the hope of unjust men shall perish.

8 K a mawhiti te tangata tika i roto i te raru, a ka riro te tangata kino hei whakakapi mo tona turanga.

¶ The righteous is delivered out of the tribulation, and the wicked takes his place.

9 H ei huna mo tona hoa te mangai o te tangata whakaponokore; na ma te mohio te hunga tika ka mawhiti ai.

¶ The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbour, but the just are delivered with wisdom.

10 K a pai te hunga tika, ka hari te pa: ka whakangaromia te hunga kino, ka tangi te umere.

¶ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are feasts.

11 M a te manaaki o te hunga tika ka kake ai te pa; ka pakaru ia i te mangai o te hunga kino.

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 K o te tangata e whakahawea ana ki tona hoa he maharakore: tena ko te tangata matau, whakarongo puku ana.

¶ He that is void of understanding despises his neighbour, but the intelligent man remains silent.

13 K o te tangata haere, ka kawekawe korero e whaki ana i nga mea ngaro: ko te tangata i te wairua pono, e hipoki ana i te korero.

A talebearer reveals secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter.

14 K i te kahore he mohio hei arahi, ka hinga te iwi: he ora ia kei nga kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro tokomaha.

¶ When intelligence is lacking, the people shall fall, but in the multitude of counsellors there is salvation.

15 K o te tangata ko tana nei hei whakakapi mo ta te tangata ke, ka mamae; kei te ora ia te tangata e kino ana ki te tikanga whakakapi turanga.

¶ With anxiety shall he that is surety for a stranger be afflicted, and he that hates suretiship shall live securely.

16 K a mau te kororia i te wahine tikanga pai; ka mau hoki te taonga i nga tangata taikaha.

¶ The gracious woman retains honour, and strong men retain riches.

17 H e atawhai i tona wairua ta te tangata atawhai; a he whakararu i ona kikokiko ta te tangata nanakia.

¶ The merciful man does good to his own soul, but the cruel man troubles his own flesh.

18 K o te mahi a te tangata kino e utua ana ki te teka: ko te utu ia mo te kaiwhakatakoto i te tika, u rawa.

¶ The wicked works a deceitful work, but to him that sows righteousness shall be a sure reward.

19 K o te tangata u ki te tika, ka whiwhi ki te ora: a, ko te tangata e whai ana i te kino e mea ana i te mate mona.

¶ As righteousness is unto life, so he that pursues evil pursues it unto his own death.

20 K o ta Ihowa e whakarihariha ai he ngakau whanoke; ko tana e ahuareka ai ko te hunga e tika ana to ratou ara.

¶ They that are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, but such as are perfect in their way are his delight.

21 A hakoa awhi nga ringa ki a raua, e kore te tangata kino e waiho kia kore e whiua; ka mawhiti ia te uri o te hunga tika.

¶ No matter how many covenants he has made with death, the wicked shall not be absolved, but the seed of the righteous shall escape.

22 R ite tonu ki te whakakai koura i te ihu o te poaka te wahine ataahua kahore nei ona ngarahu pai.

¶ As a gold ring in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

23 K o ta te hunga tika e minamina ai, ko te pai anake; ko te tumanako ia a te hunga kino, ko te riri.

¶ The desire of the righteous is only good, but the hope of the wicked is wrath.

24 T era tetahi kei te rui, a tapiritia mai ana ano; tera tetahi kei te kaiponu i te mea e tika ana, heoi rawakore noa iho.

¶ There are those who scatter, and more is added unto them; and there are those who withhold more than is just, but come to poverty.

25 K o te wairua ohaoha ka momona: ko te tangata e whakamakuku ana, ka whakamakukuria ano ia.

¶ The soul who is a blessing unto others shall be made fat, and he that fills shall be filled also himself.

26 K o te tangata e kaiponu ana i te witi, ka kanga tera e te nuinga; ka tau ia te manaaki ki runga ki te mahunga o te tangata e hoko atu ana.

¶ He that withholds the grain, the people shall curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that sells it.

27 K o te tangata e ata rapu ana i te pai, e rapu ana i te whakapai: ko te tangata ia e rapu ana i te he, ka tae tera ki a ia.

¶ He that seeks good early shall find favour, but unto him that seeks evil, it shall come upon him.

28 K o te tangata e whakawhirinaki ana ki ona taonga, ka taka: na, ko te hunga tika ka rite to ratou tupu ki to te rau matomato.

¶ He that trusts in his riches shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

29 K o te tangata e whakararu ana i tona whare, he hau te taonga e whakarerea iho mona: hei pononga ano te kuware ma te ngakau whakaaro nui.

¶ He that troubles his own house shall inherit the wind, and the fool shall be slave to the wise of heart.

30 K o nga hua o te tangata tika he rakau no te ora; ka hopu wairua ano te tangata whakaaro tika.

¶ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that wins souls is wise.

31 N ana, he utu ano to te tangata tika i runga i te whenua: nui atu ia to te tangata kino raua ko te tangata hara.

¶ The righteous shall certainly be recompensed in the earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner!