1 W hakarongo, e aku tamariki, ki te whakaako a te matua, tahuri mai hoki kia matauria ai nga whakaaro mohio.

Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

2 H e pai hoki te kupu mohio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua taku ture e whakarerea.

for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

3 H e tama ano hoki ahau ki toku papa, a he ngawari, he mea kotahi e matenuitia ana e toku whaea.

For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

4 I whakaako ano ia i ahau, i mea ki ahau, Puritia aku kupu e tou ngakau; kia mau ki aku whakahau, a e ora koe.

He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

5 W haia mou te whakaaro nui, whaia mou te matauranga; kaua e wareware ki tera, kaua hoki e neke atu i nga kupu a toku mangai.

Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

6 K aua ia e whakarerea, a mana koe e tiaki; arohaina ia, a mana koe e mau ai.

Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

7 K o te whakaaro nui te tino mea; no reira whaia mau te whakaaro nui; a i ou whiwhinga katoa, kia whiwhi koe ki te matauranga.

Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

8 W hakanuia ia, a mana koe ka kake ai; ka whakahonore ia i a koe ki te awhitia e koe.

Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.

9 K a homai e ia he pare ataahua ki tou mahunga, ka potaea ano koe e ia ki te karauna whakapaipai.

She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

10 W hakarongo, e taku tama, maharatia aku kupu, a he maha nga tau e ora ai koe.

Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

11 H e mea whakaako koe naku ki te ara o te whakaaro nui; he mea arahi koe naku i nga ara o te tika.

I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.

12 K a haere koe, e kore ou takahanga e whakakikitia mai; ki te rere koe, e kore koe e tutuki.

When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

13 K ia mau ki te ako, kaua e tukua atu; matapoporetia iho, ko tou oranga hoki ia.

Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

14 K aua e haere i te ara o te hunga kino, kaua hoki e takahia te huarahi o te hunga he.

Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

15 A nga ke ake, kaua e tika na reira; peka ake i taua ara, haere tonu atu.

Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

16 E kore hoki ratou e moe ki te kore e oti tetahi mahi he ma ratou; riro rawa to ratou moe, ki te kahore tetahi tangata e hinga i a ratou.

For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

17 N o te kino hoki te taro e kainga ana e ratou, no te nanakia te waina e inumia ana e ratou.

For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

18 K o te huarahi ia o te hunga tika, koia ano kei te marama e whiti ana, a ka neke haere tonu ake tona marama, a taea noatia te tino ra.

But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.

19 K o te ara o te hunga kino, me he pouri; e kore ratou e mohio ki te mea i tutuki ai ratou.

The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

20 E taku tama, tahuri ki aku kupu; anga mai tou taringa ki aku korero.

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

21 K ei kotiti ke enei i ou kanohi; puritia i waenganui o tou ngakau.

Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.

22 H e oranga enei mo te hunga e kitea ai, he rongoa mo o ratou kikokiko katoa.

For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

23 K ia pau ou mahara ki te tiaki i tou ngakau; no reira hoki nga putanga o te ora.

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

24 W hakarerea te mangai whanoke, kia matara rawa i a koe nga ngutu tutu.

Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

25 K ia hangai tonu te titiro whakamua a ou kanohi; kia titiro ou kamo ki mua tonu i a koe.

Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

26 W hakatikaia te huarahi o ou waewae, kia u ano hoki ou ara katoa.

Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

27 K aua e peka ki matau, ki maui; kia anga ke tou waewae i te kino.

Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.