1 K ei roto te ngakau o te kingi i te ringa o Ihowa ano he awa rerenga wai; e whakaangahia ana e ia ki nga wahi katoa e pai ai ia.

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills.

2 K o nga ara katoa o te tangata, tika kau ki ona kanohi ake: ko Ihowa ia hei pauna i nga ngakau.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs and tries the hearts.

3 K o te mahi i te tika, i te whakawa, ki ta Ihowa, pai atu i te patunga tapu.

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

4 H e kanohi whakakake, he ngakau whakapehapeha, a ko te rama hoki o te hunga kino, he hara kau.

Haughtiness of eyes and a proud heart, even the tillage of the wicked or the lamp to them, are sin.

5 K o nga whakaaro o te tangata uaua e ahu anake ana ki te hua o te taonga: ko te hunga takare katoa ia e whawhai kau ana ki te muhore.

The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want.

6 E rite ana ta te arero teka ami i te taonga ki te mamaoa e aia noatia ana; ko te hunga e rapu ana i era e rapu ana i te mate.

Securing treasures by a lying tongue is a vapor driven to and fro; those who seek them seek death.

7 M a te pahua a te hunga kino e tahi atu ratou; mo ratou kahore e pai ki te whakawa.

The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, because they refuse to do justice.

8 H e ara tino kopikopiko to te tangata e waha ana i te hara: tena ko te tangata ma, he tika tana mahi.

The way of the guilty is exceedingly crooked, but as for the pure, his work is right and his conduct is straight.

9 H e pai ke te noho i te kokonga o te tuanui, i te noho tahi me te wahine ngangare i roto i te whare mahorahora.

It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.

10 K o ta te wairua o te tangata kino he hiahia ki te kino; e kore ona kanohi e manako ki tona hoa.

The soul or life of the wicked craves and seeks evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 K i te whiua te tangata whakahi, ka whai whakaaro te kuware: a, ki te whakaakona te tangata whakaaro nui, ka whiwhi ia ki te matauranga.

When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of Wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed.

12 K a ata whakaaroa e te tangata tika te whare o te tangata kino; te peheatanga e whakataka ai te hunga kino ki te mate mo ratou.

The righteous man considers well the house of the wicked—how the wicked are cast down to ruin.

13 K o te tangata e puru ana i ona taringa ki te karanga a te rawakore, tera hoki ia e karanga, heoi e kore e whakarangona.

Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor will cry out himself and not be heard.

14 M a te mea homai puku ka marie ai te riri, ma te moni whakapati hoki i roto i te uma ka marie ai te aritarita kaha.

A gift in secret pacifies and turns away anger, and a bribe in the lap, strong wrath.

15 H e mahi koa na te tangata tika te whakawa; mo nga kaimahi ia i te kino, ko te whakangaromanga.

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God), but to the evildoers it is dismay, calamity, and ruin.

16 K o te tangata e kotiti ke ana i te huarahi o te mahara, ka noho ia i te whakaminenga o nga tupapaku.

A man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the spirits (of the dead).

17 K o te tangata matenui ki nga ahuareka, ka rawakore: a, ko te tangata e matenui ana ki te waina, ki te hinu, e kore e whai taonga.

He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

18 H ei utu te tangata kino mo te tangata tika; a ka haere mai te tangata kopeka hei whakakapi mo te tangata tu tika.

The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous for the upright.

19 H e pai ke te noho i te koraha, i te noho tahi me te wahine tohetohe, wahine pukukino.

It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious woman and with vexation.

20 K ei te nohoanga o te tangata whakaaro nui te taonga momohanga me te hinu; heoi maumauria ake e te wairangi.

There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.

21 K o te tangata e whai ana i te tika, i te atawhai, ka whiwhi ki te ora, ki te tika, ki te honore.

He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor.

22 K a pikitia e te tangata whakaaro nui te pa o nga marohirohi, ka taka hoki i a ia te kaha i whakawhirinaki ai ratou.

A wise man scales the city walls of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23 K o te tangata e tiaki ana i tona mangai, i tona arero, e tiaki ana i tona wairua kei raru.

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles.

24 K o te tangata whakakake, whakapehapeha, ko te tangata whakahi tona ingoa, e mahi ana ia i runga i te whakahirahira o tona whakamanamana.

The proud and haughty man—Scoffer is his name—deals and acts with overbearing pride.

25 K a mate te tangata mangere i tona hiahia ano; e kore hoki ona ringa e pai ki te mahi.

The desire of the slothful kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

26 T era te hanga he kaiapo tonu a pau noa te ra: ko ta te tangata tika ia he homai, kahore hoki ana kaiponu.

He covets greedily all the day long, but the righteous gives and does not withhold.

27 H e mea whakarihariha te whakahere a te tangata kino; tera noa ake ina he te whakaaro i kawea mai ai e ia.

The sacrifice of the wicked is exceedingly disgusting and abhorrent —how much more when he brings it with evil intention?

28 K a mate te kaiwhakaatu teka; na, ko te tangata whakarongo, ka korero, kahore he kaiwhakahe.

A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears attentively will endure and go unchallenged.

29 K a whakamaro te tangata kino i tona mata: tena ko te tangata tika, ka whakapai i ona ara.

A wicked man puts on the bold, unfeeling face, but as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way.

30 I to Ihowa aroaro kahore he whakaaro nui, kahore he matauranga, kahore he kupu mohio, e tu.

There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord.

31 K ua rite noa ake he hoiho mo te ra o te whawhai; kei a Ihowa ia te whakaoranga.

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord.