1 K o te maramara kai, ko te mea maroke me te ata noho hei kinaki, pai atu i te whare ki i nga hakari a te nganagare.

Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.

2 H ei rangatira te pononga mahara mo te tama i whakama ai; ka whai wahi ano ia i roto i to nga teina.

A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.

3 K o te oko tahu para mo te hiriwa, ko te oumu mo te koura; ko Ihowa ia hei whakamatau mo nga ngakau.

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.

4 K o te kaimahi i te he ka tahuri ki ta te ngutu kino; a ka whai taringa te teka ki ta te arero whanoke.

An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

5 K o te taunu ki te rawakore he tawai ki tona Kaihanga: ko te tangata e koa ana ki nga aitua, e kore e kore te whiua.

Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; And he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

6 H ei karauna mo nga koroheke nga tamariki a nga tamariki: na, ko te kororia o nga tamariki ko o ratou matua.

Children's children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.

7 E kore te reo rangatira e tau ki te kuware: hore rawa ano hoki te ngutu teka ki te rangatira.

Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.

8 K o te tangata i te mea homai noa, he kohatu whakapaipai tera ki tana titiro; tona tahuritanga ake ki hea, ki hea, ka whiwhi ki te pai.

A bribe is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

9 K o te tangata e hipoki ana i te he, e whai ana i te aroha; tena ko te tangata korerorero, e wehewehe ana i nga hoa tupu.

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.

10 K o te ngotonga o te kupu riri ki roto ki te tangata matau, nui atu i to nga whiu kotahi rau ki roto ki te whakaarokore.

A rebuke entereth deeper into one that hath understanding Than a hundred stripes into a fool.

11 H e whakakeke kau ta te tangata kino e whai ai; no reira ka tukua atu he karere nanakia ki a ia.

An evil man seeketh only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

12 K ia tutaki ki te tangata te pea kua tangohia ana kuao; pai atu i te whakaarokore i a ia e wairangi ana.

Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.

13 K o te tangata e homai ana i te kino hei utu mo te pai, e kore te kino e neke atu i tona whare.

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.

14 K o te timatanga o te totohe i rite ki te tangata e tuku ana i te wai kia rere: na reira waiho atu te totohe i te mea kiano i oho te ngangare.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.

15 K o te tangata e whakatika ana i ta te tangata kino, me ia e whakahe ana i ta te tangata tika, he rite tahi taua rua, he mea whakarihariha ki a Ihowa.

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.

16 H ei aha te utu i te ringa o te kuware, hei hoko i te whakaaro nui, kahore nei hoki ona matauranga?

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?

17 E aroha ana te hoa i nga wa katoa; na, ko te teina, ko te tuakana, i whanau tera mo nga aitua.

A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.

18 K o ta te tangata ngakaukore he papaki ringa; kua waiho hei whakakapi turanga i te aroaro o tona hoa.

A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.

19 K o te tangata e aroha ana ki te nganagare e aroha ana ki te kino; ko te tangata e whakarewa ana i tona kuwaha e rapu ana i te whakangaromanga.

He loveth transgression that loveth strife: He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction.

20 K o te ngakau parori ke e kore e kite i te pai; ko te tangata he whanoke tona arero ka taka ki te kino.

He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

21 K a whanau he whakaarokore ma tetahi tangata, hei whakapouri tera mona: e kore ano hoki e koa te papa o te poauau.

He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.

22 H e rongoa pai te ngakau koa; ki te maru ia te wairua, ka maroke nga wheua.

A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.

23 E tango ana te tangata kino i te mea whakapati i te uma, hei whakapeau ke i nga ara o te whakarite whakawa.

A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.

24 K ei te aroaro o te tangata matau nga whakaaro nui; kei nga pito ia o te whenua nga kanohi o te whakaarokore.

Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

25 K o te tamaiti whakaarokore he mea whakapouri i tona papa, he mea whakakawa i te ngakau o tona whaea.

A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.

26 E hara ano hoki i te mea pai kia whiua te tangata tika, kia patua ranei nga rangatira mo te tika.

Also to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their uprightness.

27 H e matauranga to te tangata e tohu ana i ana kupu: a he whakaaro to te tangata i te wairua manawanui.

He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28 K o te wairangi nei ano, ki te whakarongo puku, ka kiia he whakaaro nui: ki te kokopi ona ngutu, ka kiia ia he tupato.

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent.