1 M y son, listen to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding.

E taku tama, tahuri ki oki whakaaro nui, kia anga tou taringa ki toku matauranga:

2 S o you may know what is good thinking, and your lips may keep much learning.

Kia u ai koe ki te ngarahu pai, kia mau ai te matauranga i ou ngutu.

3 F or the lips of a strange woman are as sweet as honey. Her talk is as smooth as oil.

Ko nga ngutu hoki o te wahine ke, kei te maturuturunga iho o te honikoma, ngawari iho tona mangai i te hinu.

4 B ut in the end she is as bitter tasting as wormwood, and as sharp as a sword that cuts both ways.

He kawa rawa hoki tona mutunga i te taru kawa; he koi, ano he hoari matarua.

5 H er feet go down to death. Her steps take hold of hell.

Ko ona waewae e heke ana ki te mate, mau pu te reinga i ona takahanga;

6 S he does not think about the path of life. Her ways go this way and that, and she does not know it.

Heoi kahore i kitea e ia te ara totika ki te ora: he kotiti ke ona ara, a kahore ia i te matau.

7 N ow then, my sons, listen to me. Do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

Na reira, e aku tamariki, whakarongo mai ki ahau, kei mahue hoki nga kupu a toku mangai.

8 K eep far away from her. Do not go near the door of her house.

Kia matara tou ara i a ia, kaua hoki e tata ki te tatau o tona whare;

9 I f you do, you would give your strength to others, and your years to those without loving-kindness.

Kei hoatu tou honore ki nga tangata ke, ou tau ki te hunga nanakia:

10 S trangers would be filled with your strength, and the fruits of your work would go to a strange house.

Kei makona nga tangata ke i tou kaha, kei riro ou mauiui ki te whare o te tangata ke;

11 Y ou would cry inside yourself when your end comes, when your flesh and body are wasted away.

A ka tangi koe i tou whakamutunga, ina poto ou kikokiko me tou tinana.

12 Y ou would say, “How I have hated teaching! My heart hated strong words!

A ka mea, Katae toku kino ki te ako; katae te mauiui o toku ngakau ki te tohutohu!

13 I have not listened to the voice of my teachers. I have not turned my ear to those who would teach me.

Kihai hoki ahau i whakarongo ki te reo o oku kaiwhakaako, kihai toku taringa i anga ki te hunga e tohutohu ana i ahau.

14 N ow I have a bad name in the meeting place of the people.”

Wahi iti kei nga kino katoa ahau i waenganui o te whakaminenga, o te huihui.

15 D rink water from your own pool, flowing water from your own well.

Inumia he wai i roto i tau ake rua, me nga wai rere ano i roto i tau ake poka.

16 S hould the waters from your well flow away, rivers of water in the streets?

Kia tohatoha noa atu koia au puna wai, nga awa wai i nga huarahi?

17 L et them be yours alone, and not for strangers with you.

Waiho ena mau anake, kauaka ma koutou tahi ko nga tangata ke.

18 L et your well be honored, and be happy with the wife you married when you were young.

Kia manaakitia tau puna wai: kia koa ano koe ki te wahine o tou taitamarikitanga.

19 L et her be like a loving, female deer. Let her breasts please you at all times. Be filled with great joy always because of her love.

Kia rite ia ki taua mea ahuareka, ki te hata, ki te mea ataahua ki te anaterope; kia makona koe i ona u i nga wa katoa, kia matenuitia tonutia e koe tona aroha.

20 M y son, why should you be carried away with a sinful woman and fall into the arms of a strange woman?

He aha oti koe, e taku tama, ka matenui ai ki te wahine ke, i awhi ai i te uma o te wahine ke?

21 F or the ways of a man are seen by the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths.

Kei mua hoki i nga kanohi o Ihowa nga ara o te tangata, a e meinga ana e ia kia papatairite ona ara katoa.

22 H is own sins will trap the sinful. He will be held with the ropes of his sin.

Ko ona kino ano hei hopu i te tangata kino, hei taura ona hara e mau ai ia.

23 H e will die for want of teaching, and will go the wrong way because of the greatness of his foolish ways.

Ka mate ia, he mea kihai i whakaakona, ka pohehe i te nui o tona wairangi.