1 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness,

and defies all sound judgment.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding,

but only in revealing his own opinion.

3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes,

and with shame comes disgrace.

4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters.

The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good,

nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

6 A fool’s lips come into strife,

and his mouth invites beatings.

7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction,

and his lips are a snare to his soul.

8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels:

they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

9 One who is slack in his work

is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

10 Yahweh’s name is a strong tower:

the righteous run to him, and are safe.

11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud,

but before honor is humility.

13 He who answers before he hears,

that is folly and shame to him.

14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness,

but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge.

The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 A man’s gift makes room for him,

and brings him before great men.

17 He who pleads his cause first seems right—

until another comes and questions him.

18 The lot settles disputes,

and keeps strong ones apart.

19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city.

Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.

20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth.

With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;

those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing,

and obtains favor of Yahweh.

23 The poor plead for mercy,

but the rich answer harshly.

24 A man of many companions may be ruined,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

1 Ko te tangata tu ke, e whai ana i ta tona ake hiahia, e ngangau ana ki nga whakaaro totika katoa.

2 Kahore o te whakaarokore ahuareka ki te matauranga; engari kia whakakitea e ia tona ngakau.

3 I te taenga mai o te tangata kino ka tae mai ano te whakahawea, me te tawai hei hoa mo te whakama.

4 He wai hohonu nga kupu a te mangai o te tangata; he awa e rere ana te puna o te whakaaro nui.

5 Ehara i te mea pai te whakapai ki te kanohi o te tangata kino, te whakapeau ke ranei i ta te tangata tika ina whakawa.

6 E uru ana nga ngutu o te whakaarokore ki te totohe, e karanga ana tona mangai ki nga whiu.

7 Hei hunga ano mona te mangai o te whakaarokore; a ko ona ngutu hei rore mo tona wairua.

8 Ano he kai reka nga kupu a te kawe korero; tae tonu iho ki nga wahi o roto rawa o te kopu.

9 Ko te tangata ano hoki e mangere ana ki tana mahi, hei teina ia ki te tangata maumau.

10 Hei pourewa kaha te ingoa o Ihowa; rere ana te tangata tika ki reira, a ora ake.

11 Ko nga rawa o te tangata taonga hei pa kaha mona, hei pa tiketike ki tona whakaaro.

12 I mua ake o te whakangaromanga ka whakakake te ngakau o te tangata; i mua ake ano hoki o te honore ko te ngakau papaku.

13 Ko te tangata e whakahoki kupu ana i te mea kahore ano ia i rongo noa, he mahi wairangi tera nana, he hanga whakama.

14 E whakamanawanui te wairua o te tangata ki tona mate; tena ko te wairua maru, ko wai e kaha ki tera?

15 Ka whiwhi te ngakau o te tangata matau ki te mohio; e rapu ana hoki te taringa o nga whakaaro nui ki te mohio.

16 Ma te mea tuku noa a te tangata ka watea ai he wahi mona, ka kawea hoki ia e tera ki te aroaro o nga tangata nunui.

17 Ko te tangata nana te kupu tuatahi i te whakawa me te mea kei a ia te tika; na ka haere mai tona hoa, kei te rapu i te tikanga o tana.

18 Ma te rota e mutu ai nga tautohe, a ko tera hei tauarai i waenganui o te hunga kaha.

19 Ko te tuakana, teina ranei, i whakatakariritia, pakeke atu i te pa kaha: a ko aua tu ngangare me he tutaki tatau no te whare rangatira.

20 Ka ki te kopu o te tangata i nga hua o tona mangai, ka makona ia i nga hua o ona ngutu.

21 Ko te mate, ko te ora kei te arero: ko te hunga e aroha ana ki tera ka kai i ona hua.

22 Ko te tangata kua kite i te wahine mana, kua kite i te mea pai, kua whiwhi hoki ki ta Ihowa whakapai.

23 He inoi ta te rawakore hanga; he taikaha ia te whakahoki a te tangata taonga.

24 Ko te tangata tini nga hoa aroha e whai ana i te he mona; tera ano ia te hoa aroha, nui atu i to te tuakana, i to te teina, tona piri mai.