1 M aka tau taro ki te mata o nga wai; kia maha hoki nga ra ka kitea ano e koa.

Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.

2 H oatu tetahi wahi ma te tokowhitu, ae ma te tokowaru ano hoki; e kore hoki koe e mohio ko tehea kino e puta mai ki te whenua.

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

3 K i te ki nga kapua i te ua, ka ringihia ki te whenua: ki te hinga hoki te rakau ki te tonga, ki te raki ranei, ko te wahi e hinga ai te rakau, ko reira ano ia takoto ai.

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

4 K o te tangata e whai mahara ana ki te hau, e kore e rui; ko te tangata titiro kapua e kore e kokoti.

He that observeth the wind will not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds will not reap.

5 N a, ka kore ano koe e mohio ki te huarahi o te hau, ki te tupu ranei o nga wheua i roto i te kopu o te wahine hapu; e kore ano hoki e mohiotia e koe te mahi a te Atua, a te kaimahi o nga mea katoa.

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, how the bones in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all.

6 I te ata ruia tau purapura, a i te ahiahi kaua e pepeke tou ringa; kahore hoki koe e mohio ko tenei ranei e tika, ko tera ranei, ko raua ranei e rua ka pai ngatahi.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

7 H e pono he ahuareka te marama, a he mea pai ki nga kanohi te titiro ki te ra.

Now the light is sweet, and pleasant is it to the eyes to see the sun;

8 A e ra, ki te maha nga tau e ora ai te tangata, kia hari ia ki aua tau katoa; engari kia mahara ia ki nga tau o te pouri, tera hoki e maha. Ko nga mea e haere ake ana he horihori katoa.

but if a man live many years, rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many: all that cometh is vanity.

9 K ia koe, e te taitamariki, ki tou taitamarikitanga; kia whakahari ano hoki tou ngakau i a koe i nga ra o tou taitamarikitanga, haere hoki i nga ara o tou ngakau, i te tirohanga ano a ou kanohi: otiia kia mohio ano koe, he mea enei katoa e riro ai koe i te Atua ki te whakawa.

Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these God will bring thee into judgment.

10 N o reira whakawateatia atu te riri i tou ngakau, a whakanekehia atu te kino i tou kikokiko: he mea horihori nei hoki te taitamarikitanga, me te houkuratanga.

Then remove discontent from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.