1 K ua oti i te whakaaro nui tetahi whare mona te hanga, e whitu nga pou kua oti te tarai e ia:

Wisdom hath builded her house; She hath hewn out her seven pillars:

2 K ua oti ana kararehe te patu e ia; whakananu rawa tana waina; kua oti ano tana tepu te whakapai.

She hath killed her beasts; She hath mingled her wine; She hath also furnished her table:

3 K ua unga e ia ana kotiro, e karanga ana ia i runga i nga wahi tiketike rawa o te pa.

She hath sent forth her maidens; She crieth upon the highest places of the city:

4 K i te mea he kuware tetahi, me peka mai ia ki konei: ko te tangata maharakore, ko tana kupu tenei ki a ia,

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,

5 H aere mai, kainga taku taro, inumia hoki te waina kua oti nei te whakananu e ahau.

Come, eat ye of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled.

6 K ati ra, e te hunga kuware, kia ora ai koutou; haere hoki i te ara o te matauranga.

Leave off, ye simple ones, and live; And walk in the way of understanding.

7 K o ia e papaki ana i te tangata whakahihi, ka whakama; a ko ia e riri ana i te tangata kino, ka piri mai he he ki a ia.

He that correcteth a scoffer getteth to himself reviling; And he that reproveth a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

8 K aua e riria te tangata whakahi, kei kino ia ki a koe: riria ko te tangata whakaaro nui, a ka aroha ia ki a koe.

Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee: Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.

9 H oatu te mohio ki te tangata whakaaro nui, a ka neke ake ona whakaaro; whakaakona te tangata tika, a ka nui ake tona mohio.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

10 K o te timatanga o te whakaaro nui ko te wehi ki a Ihowa; ko te matauranga, ko te mohio ki te Mea Tapu.

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11 M aku hoki ka maha ai ou ra, maku ka neke ake ai nga tau e ora ai koe.

For by me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.

12 K i te nui ou whakaaro, mou ano ou whakaaro nui; ki te whakahi koe, mau anake tau pikaunga.

If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; And if thou scoffest, thou alone shalt bear it.

13 K o te wahine wairangi, he mangai nui ia; he kuware ia, kahore ona mohio ki te aha, ki te aha.

The foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knoweth nothing.

14 N oho ana ia i te kuwaha o tona whare i runga i te nohoanga i nga wahi tiketike o te pa;

And she sitteth at the door of her house, On a seat in the high places of the city,

15 K ia karanga atu ai ia ki nga tangata e haere ana i te ara, e maro tonu ana o ratou huarahi,

To call to them that pass by, Who go right on their ways:

16 K o te kuware, peka mai ki konei; tena ko te tangata whakaarokore, ko tana kupu tenei ki a ia,

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,

17 H e reka te wai tahae, a he ahuareka te taro kai huna.

Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

18 T e mohio ia kei reira nga tupapaku; kei te reinga riro ana i karanga ai.

But he knoweth not that the dead are there; That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.