1 H e teka ianei kei te karanga te whakaaro nui, e puaki ana ano te reo o te matauranga?

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

2 I runga i nga wahi tiketike tona turanga, i te ara i te tutakitanga o nga huarahi;

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 H amama ana ia i te taha o nga kuwaha, i te ngutu o te pa, i te tomokanga atu i nga tatau:

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

4 K i a koutou, e nga tangata, taku karanga; ki nga tama ano a te tangata toku reo.

Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

5 E nga kuware, kia matau koutou ki te ngarahu tupato; e nga wairangi, kia mohio te ngakau.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6 W hakarongo mai, ka korerotia hoki e ahau nga mea pai rawa; ko ta oku ngutu e whakapuaki ai ko nga mea e rite ana.

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 H e pono hoki te korero a toku mangai; he mea whakarihariha ano te kino ki oku ngutu.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 K ei runga i te tika nga kupu katoa a toku mangai; kahore he whakapeka, he whanoke ranei, i roto.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9 K o enei katoa he marama ki te tangata e matau ana, he tika ki te hunga i kitea ai te mohio.

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 M anakohia mai taku ako, kaua te hiriwa; ko te matauranga, nui atu i te koura pai rawa.

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 P ai atu hoki te whakaaro nui i nga rupi; e kore hoki nga mea katoa e minaminatia nei e tau hei whakarite mona.

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 K ua meinga e ahau, e te whakaaro nui, ko te ngarahu pai hei nohoanga moku, e kitea ana e ahau te mohio me te ata whakaaro.

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 K o te wehi ki a Ihowa koia tena ko te kino ki te he: e kino ana ahau ki te whakapehapeha, ki te whakakake, ki te ara he, ki te mangai whanoke.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 K o te whakaaro tika, ko te whakaaro nui, naku; ko ahau te matauranga, kei ahau te kaha.

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

15 N aku nga kingi i kingi ai, naku nga rangatira i whakatakoto ai i te tika.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 N aku i whai rangatiratanga ai nga rangatira, nga tangata nunui, ara nga kaiwhakawa katoa o te whenua.

By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 E arohaina ana e ahau te hunga e aroha ana ki ahau; ko te hunga hoki e ata rapu ana i ahau, e kite ratou i ahau.

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 H e taonga, he kororia kei ahau; ae ra, he rawa mau tonu, he tika.

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

19 P ai atu oku hua i te koura, ae ra, i te koura parakore; ko nga mea e puta ana i ahau, pai atu i te hiriwa kowhiri.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

20 K ei nga ara o te tika ahau e haere ana, kei waenganui i nga huarahi o te whakawa:

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

21 K ia meinga ai e ahau te hunga e aroha ana ki ahau kia whiwhi ki te rawa, kia whakakiia ai e ahau a ratou takotoranga taonga.

that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 I a Ihowa ahau, no te timatanga ra ano o ona ara, no mua atu i ana mahi o nehera.

The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 N onamata riro ahau i whakaritea ai, no te timatanga, no mua atu i te whenua.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 I te mea kahore ano nga rire, kua whanau ahau; i te mea kiano he puna whai wai.

When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 N o mua atu i te whakaunga o nga maunga, no mua i nga pukepuke toku whanautanga:

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 I te mea kahore ano i hanga noatia e ia te whenua, me nga parae, me te timatanga o te puehu o te ao.

while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 I tana whakaturanga i nga rangi, i reira ano ahau: i tana whakaritenga i te awhi mo te mata o te rire;

When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 I tana whakapumautanga i nga rangi i runga; i te tototanga o nga puna o te rire;

when he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 I tana rohenga mai i te moana, kei takahia tana kupu e nga wai; i tana waitohutanga i nga turanga o te whenua;

when he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 I reira ahau i tona taha, he tohunga ki nga mahi: he ahuarekatanga ahau nona i ia ra, i ia ra, e koa ana i nga wa katoa i tona aroaro;

then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 E koa ana ki tana ao; a ko taku i ahuareka ai ko nga tama a te tangata.

rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 N o reira, e aku tamariki, whakarongo mai ki ahau: ka hari hoki te hunga e pupuri ana i oku ara.

Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 W hakarongo mai ki te ako, kia whai whakaaro ai koutou; kaua hoki e paopaongia.

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 K a hari te tangata e whakarongo ana ki ahau, e tatari ana i oku tatau i tenei ra, i tenei ra, e whanga ana i nga pou o oku kuwaha.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 K o te tangata hoki e kite ana i ahau, e kite ana i te ora, ka whiwhi ano ia ki ta Ihowa manako mai.

For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

36 K o te tangata ia e hara ana ki ahau, he mahi nanakia tana ki tona wairua ake; ko te hunga katoa e kino ana ki ahau, e aroha ana ki te mate.

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.