1 K o nga whakatakataka a te ngakau na te tangata; engari ko te kupu whakahoki a te arero na Ihowa.

The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the answer of the tongue.

2 K o nga ara katoa o te tangata he ma ki ona ake kanohi; ko Ihowa ia ki te pauna i nga wairua.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart).

3 U taina au mahi ki runga ki a Ihowa, a ka whakapumautia ou whakaaro.

Roll your works upon the Lord so shall your plans be established and succeed.

4 H e mea hanga na Ihowa nga mea katoa mo tona tutukitanga, mo tona: ae ra, ko te tangata kino hoki mo te ra o te kino.

The Lord has made everything to its own end and His own purpose—even the wicked for the day of calamity and evil.

5 H e mea whakarihariha na Ihowa te hunga ngakau whakakake katoa; ahakoa pupuri te ringa ki te ringa, e kore ia e kore te whiua.

Everyone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; be assured they will not go unpunished.

6 K o te mahi tohu tangata me te pono hei pure mo te kino; ma te wehi hoki ki a Ihowa ka mawehe atu ai te tangata i te kino.

By mercy and love, truth and fidelity, iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil.

7 K i te pai a Ihowa ki nga ara o te tangata, ka meinga e ia ona hoariri nei ano kia mau te rongo ki a ia.

When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8 H e pai ake te mea iti i runga i te tika, i nga hua maha ki te kahore he tika.

Better is a little with righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation and right standing with God) than great revenues with injustice.

9 K o te ngakau o te tangata hei whakaaro i tona ara; ko Ihowa ia hei whakatika i tona hikoi.

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

10 H e kupu atua kei nga ngutu o te kingi; e kore tona mangai e poka ke ina whakawa.

Divinely directed decisions are on the lips of the king; his mouth should not transgress in judgment.

11 K o te taimaha tika, ko te pauna tika, na Ihowa; he mahi nana nga kohatu katoa o te putea.

A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights of the bag are His work.

12 H e mea whakarihariha ki nga kingi te mahi i te kino; na te tika hoki i u ai te torona.

It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established and made secure by righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).

13 H e mea ahuareka ki nga kingi nga ngutu tika: e aroha ana hoki ratou ki te tangata e korero tika ana.

Right and just lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.

14 K o te riri o te kingi ano he karere mo te mate: engari ka whakamarietia e te tangata whakaaro nui.

The wrath of a king is as messengers of death, but a wise man will pacify it.

15 H e ora kei te marama o te mata o te kingi: a ko tana manako he rite ki te kapua o to muri ua.

In the light of the king’s countenance is life, and his favor is as a cloud bringing the spring rain.

16 K o te whiwhi ki te whakaaro nui, ano te pai! pai atu i te whiwhi ki te koura; ko te whiwhi hoki ki te matauranga te mea e hiahiatia nuitia atu i te hiriwa.

How much better it is to get skillful and godly Wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17 K o te huanui o te hunga tika he mawehe atu i te kino: ko te tangata e whai whakaaro ana ki tona ara, ka mau tona wairua.

The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life.

18 H aere ai te whakakake i mua o te whakangaromanga, te wairua whakapehapeha i mua i te hinganga.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 K o te ngakau whakaiti i waenga i te hunga rawakore, pai atu i te uru ki te tuwahanga taonga a te hunga whakakake.

Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the meek and poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20 K o te tangata e tahuri ana ki te kupu, ka kite i te pai: a ko te tangata e whakawhirinaki ana ki a Ihowa, ka hari.

He who deals wisely and heeds word and counsel shall find good, and whoever leans on, trusts in, and is confident in the Lord—happy, blessed, and fortunate is he.

21 K a kiia te whakaaro nui he matau; ma te reka hoki o nga ngutu ka neke ai te mohio.

The wise in heart are called prudent, understanding, and knowing, and winsome speech increases learning.

22 K o te matauranga te puna o te ora mo te tangata i whiwhi ki tera; ko te ako ia mo te hunga wairangi ko to ratou wairangi ano.

Understanding is a wellspring of life to those who have it, but to give instruction to fools is folly.

23 M a te ngakau o te tangata whakaaro nui e tohutohu tona mangai, e apiti hoki he kupu mohio ki ona ngutu.

The mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips.

24 K o nga kupu matareka ano kei te honikoma, he reka ki te wairua, he rongoa ki nga wheua.

Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body.

25 T era he ara e tika ana ki te titiro a te tangata; ko tona mutunga ia ko nga ara ki te mate.

There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.

26 K o te hiahia o te tangata e mahi ana, e mahi ana mona; no te mea e akiakina ana ia e tona mangai.

The appetite of the laborer works for him, for his mouth urges him on.

27 E whakatakoto ana te tangata tikangakore i te kino, a kei ona ngutu ano he ahi e ka ana.

A worthless man devises and digs up mischief, and in his lips there is as a scorching fire.

28 K o ta te tangata whanoke he titaritari i te raruraru; ko ta te tangata kawekawe korero he wehewehe i nga hoa tupu.

A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

29 W hakawai ai te tangata nanakia i tona hoa, kawe ai i a ia ki te huarahi kahore i pai.

The exceedingly grasping, covetous, and violent man entices his neighbor, leading him in a way that is not good.

30 K o te tangata e whakamoe ana i ona kanohi, e mea ana kia whakaaroa ai e ia nga mea whanoke; ko te tangata e kokopi ana i ona ngutu e whakatutuki ana i te kino.

He who shuts his eyes to devise perverse things and who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

31 H e karauna kororia te mahunga hina, e ka kitea i runga i te ara o te tika.

The hoary head is a crown of beauty and glory if it is found in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).

32 E ngari rawa te tangata manawanui i te tangata kaha, te tangata e pehia ana e ia tona wairua i te tangata i horo ai te pa.

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33 E maka ana te rota ki roto ki te kokorutanga o te kakahu; kei a Ihowa ia te tikanga katoa.

The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord.