1 L ike snow in summer and like rain at gathering time, so honor is not right for a fool.

He pera i te hukarere i te raumati, i te ua hoki i te kotinga witi, te kore e tau o te honore mo te wairangi.

2 L ike a sparrow in its traveling, like a swallow in its flying, so bad words said against someone without reason do not come to rest.

He pera i te manu e rererere noa ana, i te waroa i ona rerenga te kanga pokanoa; e kore e whakatau.

3 A whip is for the horse, leather ropes are for the donkey, and a stick is for the back of fools.

He whiu mo te hoiho, he paraire mo te kaihe, a he rakau mo te tuara o nga wairangi.

4 D o not answer a fool by his foolish ways, or you will be like him.

Kei rite ki tona whakaarokore tau whakautu ki te wairangi, kei rite hoki a koe na ki a ia.

5 A nswer a fool in the way he has earned by his foolish acts, so he will not be wise in his own eyes.

Kia rite ki tona whakaarokore tau whakautu ki te wairangi, kei mea ia he whakaaro nui ia.

6 H e who sends a letter by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and brings trouble upon himself.

Ko te tangata e tuku korero ana ma te ringa o te wairangi, e tapahi ana i ona waewae ano, e inumia ana hoki te he.

7 A wise saying in the mouth of fools is like the legs on a man who cannot walk.

E tautau noa ana nga waewae o te kopa: he pera hoki te whakatauki i te mangai o te wairangi.

8 H e who gives honor to a fool is like one who ties a stone in a sling.

Ko te takai mea whakapaipai i roto i te puranga kohatu, ko tona rite kei te tangata e whakakororia ano i te wairangi.

9 A wise saying in the mouth of fools is like a thorn that goes into the hand of a man who drinks too much.

E rite ana ki te tataramoa e wero nei i te ringa o te haurangi, koia ano te whakatauki i te mangai o nga wairangi.

10 H e who hires a fool or hires those who pass by is like a man who uses a bow to hurt everyone.

Ka rite ki te kaikopere i tu ai te katoa, te tangata e utu ana i te wairangi me te tangata hoki e utu ana i nga tira haere.

11 A fool who does his foolish act again is like a dog that turns back to what he has thrown up.

Ka rite ki te kuri e hoki nei ki tona ruaki, te wairangi e tuarua ana i tona poauau.

12 D o you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Ka kite koe i te tangata e mea ana ki a ia he whakaaro nui? Ki ta te whakaaro tera e rahi ake ta te wairangi i tana.

13 T he lazy man says, “There is a lion in the way! There is a lion in the streets!”

E ki ana te mangere, He raiona kei te ara; he raiona kei nga waharoa.

14 A s a door turns, so does the lazy man on his bed.

He pera i te tatau e tahurihuri ra i runga i ona inihi, koia ano te mangere i runga i tona moenga.

15 T he lazy man buries his hand in the dish. It makes him tired to bring it to his mouth again.

E kuhua ana e te mangere tona ringa ki te rihi; he mahi ngenge rawa ki a ia te whakahoki mai ki tona mangai.

16 T he lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a wise answer.

He nui ke ake te whakaaro nui o te mangere, ki tana nei whakaaro, i to nga tangata tokowhitu e whakaatu ana i te tikanga.

17 H e who passes by and has a part in someone else’s fight is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

Ko te tangata e haere atu ana, e pokanoa ana ki te whawhai ehara nei i a ia, ko tona rite kei te tangata e hopu ana i te kuri ki ona taringa.

18 L ike a crazy man who throws pieces of burning wood and arrows of death,

Rite tonu ki te haurangi e makamaka ana i nga mea mura, i nga pere, i te mate,

19 s o is the man who fools his neighbor with a lie, and says, “I was only joking.”

Te tangata e tinihanga ana ki tona hoa, e mea ana, He teka ianei he takaro taku?

20 W hen there is no wood, the fire goes out. Where there is no one telling secret stories about people, arguing stops.

Ki te kahore he wahie, ka mate te ahi: ki te kore hoki he tangata kawekawe korero, ka mutu te ngangare.

21 A n arguing man makes fights worse. He is like coals to burning wood and wood to a fire.

He waro ki nga ngarahu wera, he wahie ki te ahi; he pera te tangata totohe ki te tahu i te ngangare.

22 T he words of one who tells secret things about people are like good-tasting bites of food. They go down into the inside parts of the body.

He rite nga kupu a te kaikawekawe korero ki te maramara reka, tae tonu iho ki nga wahi o roto rawa o te kopu.

23 B urning lips and a sinful heart are like a pot covered with silver waste.

He ngutu puka me te ngakau kino, ko te rite kei te oko oneone i whakakikoruatia ki te para hiriwa.

24 H e who hates covers it up with his lips, but stores up false ways in his heart.

Ko te tangata mauahara e whakaware ana ki ona ngutu, otiia e rongoatia ana e ia te tinihanga ki roto ki a ia:

25 W hen he speaks with kindness, do not believe him, for there are seven things that are hated in his heart.

Ki te pai tona reo, kaua e whakapono ki a ia; e whitu hoki nga mea whakarihariha kei roto i tona ngakau.

26 E ven if his hate is covered with false ways, his sin will be found out in front of the great meeting.

Ahakoa hipoki tona mauahara i a ia ki te tinihanga, ka whakakitea nuitia tona kino ki te aroaro o te whakaminenga.

27 H e who digs a deep hole will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it return upon him.

Ko te tangata e keri ana i te rua, ka taka ano ki roto: a ko te tangata e huri ana i te kohatu, ka hoki mai ano ki runga ki a ia.

28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a mouth that speaks false words destroys.

E kino ana te arero teka ki ana i kuru ai; a, ko ta te mangai whakapati, he mahi kia ngaro.