1 He whakatauki ano enei na Horomona, he mea tuhi e nga tangata a Hetekia kingi o Hura.

2 Ko to te Atua whakakororia, he hunga mea; ko to nga kingi whakakororia he rapu mea.

3 Ko te rangi mo te tiketike, ko te whenua mo te hohonu, a ko te ngakau o nga kingi, te taea te rapu.

4 Tahia atu te para i te hiriwa, a ka puta mai he oko ma te kaitahi para:

5 Tangohia atu te tangata kino i te aroaro o te kingi, a ka u tona torona i runga i te tika.

6 Kei whakaputa i a koe ki mua i te aroaro o te kingi, kei tu hoki ki te wahi o nga metararahi.

7 He pai he hoki kia kiia mai ki a koe, Haere mai ki runga nei; i te mea kia whakahokia iho koe ki raro i te aroaro o te rangatira i kitea nei e ou kanohi.

8 Kei hohoro te haere ki te ngangare, kei kore e kitea e koe tau e mea ai i tona mutunga iho, ina meinga koe e tou hoa kia whakama.

9 Tohea tau tohe ki tou hoa tonu, a kaua e whakina te mea hunga a tetahi:

10 Kei kohukohutia koe e te tangata i rongo, a kore ake tou ingoa kino e tahuri atu.

11 He kupu i tika te korero, ko tona rite kei nga a poro koura i roto i nga kete hiriwa.

12 He pera i te whakakai koura, i te whakapaipai koura parakore koia ano te ako a te whakaaro nui ki te taringa rongo.

13 Rite tonu ki te matao o te hukarere i te kotinga witi te karere pono ki ona kaingare; ka ora hoki i a ia te ngakau o ona ariki.

14 He pera i nga kapua me te hau uakore, koia ano te rite o te tangata e whakamanamana ana ki ana hakari horihori.

15 Ma te roa e whakamanawanui ana ka whakaae mai ai te kingi, a ma te arero ngawarika mangungu ai te wheua.

16 Kua kitea e koe he honi? Kainga ko te wahi e makona ai koe; kei ki rawa koe i taua mea, ka ruakina e koe.

17 Kia takitahi tou waewae ki te whare o tou hoa; kei hoha ia ki a koe, a ka kino ki a koe.

18 Ko te tangata e whakaatu teka ana mo tona hoa, he patu ia, he hoari, a he pere koi.

19 Ko te whakawhirinaki ki te tangata tinihanga i te wa o te raru, e rite ana ki te niho whati, ki te waewae kua takoki.

20 Ko te tangata e waiata ana ki te ngakau pouri, e rite ana ki te tangata e whakarere ana i te kakahu i te rangi maeke, ki te winika hoki i runga i te houra.

21 Ki te matekai tou hoariri whangaia ki te taro; ki te matewai whakainumia ki te wai;

22 Ka purangatia hoki e koe he waro kapura ki tona mahunga, a ka utua tau e Ihowa.

23 E mauria ana mai e te hauraro he ua: e peratia ana hoki e te arero ngautuara, he kanohi pukuriri.

24 He pai ke te noho i te kokonga o te tuanui, i te noho tahi me te wahine ngangare i roto i te whare mahorahora.

25 He rongo pai no te whenua tawhiti, tona rite kei nga wai matao ki te wairua matewai.

26 Me te manawa whenua i takatakahia, me te puna i whakaparuparutia, koia ano te tangata tika e hinga ana i te aroaro o te tangata kino.

27 Ehara i te mea pai te kai nui i te honi; waihoki ko a te tangata rapu i to ratou ake kororia ehara i te kororia.

28 Ko te tangata e kore nei e pehi i tona wairua, e rite ana ki te pa kua pakaru, kahore ona taiepa.

1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing;

But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,

So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4 Take away the dross from the silver,

And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:

5 Take away the wicked from before the king,

And his throne shall be established in righteousness.

6 Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king,

And stand not in the place of great men:

7 For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither,

Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince,

Whom thine eyes have seen.

8 Go not forth hastily to strive,

Lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof,

When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.

9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself,

And disclose not the secret of another;

10 Lest he that heareth it revile thee,

And thine infamy turn not away.

11 A word fitly spoken

Is like apples of gold in network of silver.

12 As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold,

So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,

So is a faithful messenger to them that send him;

For he refresheth the soul of his masters.

14 As clouds and wind without rain,

So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.

15 By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded,

And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee,

Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

17 Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor’s house,

Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.

18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor

Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble

Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

20 As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon soda,

So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;

And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

22 For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head,

And Jehovah will reward thee.

23 The north wind bringeth forth rain;

So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,

Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.

25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul,

So is good news from a far country.

26 As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring,

So is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.

27 It is not good to eat much honey;

So for men to search out their own glory is grievous.

28 He whose spirit is without restraint

Is like a city that is broken down and without walls.