1 A hakoa korero noa ahau i nga reo o nga tangata, o nga anahera, ki te kahore oku aroha, ka rite ahau ki te parahi tangi, ki te himipora tatangi.

I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I do not have love, it will sound like noisy brass.

2 A hakoa kei ahau te mahi poropiti, a kitea ana e ahau nga mea ngaro katoa, me te matauranga katoa; ahakoa kei ahau katoa te whakapono, e taea ai te whakaneke i nga maunga, ki te kahore oku aroha, ehara rawa ahau.

If I have the gift of speaking God’s Word and if I understand all secrets, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I know all things and if I have the gift of faith so I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3 A hakoa ka hoatu e ahau aku taonga katoa hei whangai i te hunga rawakore, ahakoa ka tukua e ahau toku tinana kia tahuna, ki te kahore oku aroha, kahore rawa he pai ki ahau.

If I give everything I have to feed poor people and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it will not help me.

4 H e manawanui te aroha, a he atawhai; e kore te aroha e hae; e kore te aroha e whakahihi, e kore e whakapehapeha,

Love does not give up. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not put itself up as being important. Love has no pride.

5 k ahore ona tikanga whanoke, e kore e whai ki ana ake, e kore e riri wawe, e kore e whakairi kino;

Love does not do the wrong thing. Love never thinks of itself. Love does not get angry. Love does not remember the suffering that comes from being hurt by someone.

6 E kore e hari ki te he, engari ka hari tahi me te pono;

Love is not happy with sin. Love is happy with the truth.

7 E whakamanawanui ana ki nga mea katoa, e whakapono ana ki nga mea katoa, e tumanako ana ki nga mea katoa, e whakaririka kau ana ki nga mea katoa.

Love takes everything that comes without giving up. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love keeps on in all things.

8 E kore rawa te aroha e taka: na, ahakoa mahi poropiti, e memeha; ahakoa reo ke, e mutu; ahakoa matauranga, e memeha.

Love never comes to an end. The gift of speaking God’s Word will come to an end. The gift of speaking in special sounds will be stopped. The gift of understanding will come to an end.

9 E matau ana hoki tatou ko tetahi wahi anake, e poropiti ana tatou ko tetahi wahi anake;

For we only know a part now, and we speak only a part.

10 O tira ka tae mai te tino mea, ko reira memeha ai taua wahi.

When everything is perfect, then we will not need these gifts that are not perfect.

11 I toku tamarikitanga i rite aku korero ki a te tamariki, i rite toku ngakau ki to te tamariki, i rite oku whakaaro ki o te tamariki, no toku kaumatuatanga nei, whakarerea ake e ahau nga mea tamariki.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child. I thought like a child. I understood like a child. Now I am a man. I do not act like a child anymore.

12 I naianei hoki he titiro pouriuri ta tatou i roto i te whakaata, ko reira ia he kanohi, he kanohi: inaianei e matau ana ahau ko tetahi wahi anake; ko reira ia ahau mohio ai me ahau i mohiotia ra.

Now that which we see is as if we were looking in a broken mirror. But then we will see everything. Now I know only a part. But then I will know everything in a perfect way. That is how God knows me right now.

13 N a, tenei te mau nei te whakapono, te tumanako, te aroha, enei e toru; ko te mea nui rawa ia o enei ko te aroha.

And now we have these three: faith and hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.