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 heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.

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 clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weighs the motives.

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

Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall 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.

Yahweh has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of 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 who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh: they shall certainly not be 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 truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from 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 Yahweh, 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, 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 heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.

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

Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.

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

Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s; all the weights in 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 do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness.

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

Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth.

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

The king’s wrath is a messenger 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 face is life. His favor is like a cloud of 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 wisdom than gold! Yes, 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 is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

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.

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder 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 heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed.

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 shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.

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 fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their 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 heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning 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 a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

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 which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to 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 laboring man labors 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 mischief. His speech is like 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 stirs up strife. 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.

A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads 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.

One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.

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

Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.

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.

One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one 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 its every decision is from Yahweh.