1 E taku tama, kei wareware ki taku ture; kia puritia hoki aku whakahau e tou ngakau:

My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,

2 K atahi ka nui ake nga ra roa mou, nga tau e ora ai, me te ata noho.

For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.

3 K ei whakarerea koe e te atawhai, e te pono; heia ki tou kaki; tuhituhia iho, ko tou ngakau ano hei papa.

Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,

4 P enei ka whiwhi koe ki te atawhai, ki te matauranga pai i te aroaro o te Atua, o te tangata.

And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.

5 W hakapaua tou ngakau ki te whakawhirinaki ki a Ihowa, kaua hoki e okioki ki tou matauranga ake.

Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.

6 I ou ara katoa whakaaro ki a ia, a mana e whakatika ou huarahi.

In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

7 K ei whakaaro ki a koe he mohio koe; e wehi ki a Ihowa, kia mawehe i te kino.

Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.

8 H ei ora tena ki tou pito, hei makuku ki ou wheua.

Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.

9 K ia whai kororia a Ihowa i ou rawa, i nga matamua ano hoki o au hua katoa.

Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;

10 A ka ki au toa i nga mea maha, ka pakaru ano hoki au rua waina i te waina.

And filled are thy barns plenty, And new wine thy presses break forth.

11 E taku tama, kaua e whakahawea ki ta Ihowa papaki; kei ngakaukore ano koe ina akona e ia:

Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,

12 K a akona hoki e Ihowa tana e aroha ai, ka pera tana me ta te matua ki te tamaiti e matenuitia ana e ia.

For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.

13 K a hari te tangata kua kitea nei e ia te whakaaro nui, me te tangata ano kua whiwhi ki te matauranga.

O the happiness of a man hath found wisdom, And of a man bringeth forth understanding.

14 P ai atu hoki te hokohoko o tera i to te hiriwa e hokohokona nei, ona hua i te koura parakore.

For better her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.

15 N ui atu ona utu i o nga rupi; e kore ano hoki nga mea katoa e minaminatia e koe e rite ki a ia.

Precious she above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.

16 K ei tona ringa matau nga ra roa; kei tona maui nga taonga me te kororia.

Length of days in her right hand, In her left wealth and honour.

17 K o ona ara he ara ahuareka, ko ona ara katoa he rangimarie.

Her ways ways of pleasantness, And all her paths peace.

18 H e rakau ia no te ora ki te hunga e u ana ki a ia; ka hari te tangata e pupuri ana i a ia.

A tree of life she to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her happy.

19 N a te whakaaro nui o Ihowa i whakaturia ai e ia te whenua; na tona mohio tana whakapumautanga i nga rangi.

Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.

20 H e mohio nona i pakaru ai nga rire, i maturuturu ai te tomairangi o nga kapua.

By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

21 E taku tama, kei kotiti ke ena i ou kanohi: puritia te whakaaro nui me te ngarahu pai.

My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,

22 K ei ena he oranga mo tou wairua, he whakapaipai mo tou kaki.

And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

23 P enei ka haere koe i tou ara, te ai he wehi, e kore ano tou waewae e tutuki.

Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.

24 K a takoto koe, e kore e wehi, ina, ka takoto koe, ka reka ano tau moe.

If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.

25 K aua e wehi i te mataku huaki tata, i te whakangaromanga ranei o te hunga kino ina pa mai.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.

26 K o Ihowa hoki hei okiokinga mou, a mana e tiaki tou waewae kei mau.

For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

27 K aua e kaiponuhia te pai ki te hunga i tika nei ma ratou, i nga wa e taea ai e tou ringa.

Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand toward God to do.

28 K aua e mea ki tou hoa, Haere, ka hoki mai ai, a apopo ka hoatu e ahau; i te mea kei a koe ano te mea e takoto ana.

Say not thou to thy friend, `Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.

29 K ei whakatakoto i te kino mo tou hoa, kei te noho hu noa na hoki ia i tou taha.

Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.

30 K ei ngangau pokanoa ki te tangata, ki te mea kahore ana mahi kino ki a koe.

Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.

31 K ei hae ki te tangata nanakia, kaua hoki e whiriwhiria tetahi o ona ara.

Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.

32 H e mea whakarihariha hoki te whanoke ki a Ihowa; kei te hunga tika ia tona whakaaro ngaro.

For an abomination to Jehovah the perverted, And with the upright His secret counsel.

33 H e kanga na Ihowa kei roto i te whare o te tangata kino, he mea manaaki ia nana te nohoanga o te hunga tika.

The curse of Jehovah in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.

34 H e pono ka whakahi ia ki te hunga whakahi, ka puta ia tona atawhai ki te hunga whakaiti.

If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.

35 K a whiwhi te hunga whakaaro nui ki te kororia; he whakama ia te whakanui o nga wairangi.

Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!