1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.

Pay attention and know understanding;

2 for I give you sound learning.

Don’t forsake my law.

3 For I was a son to my father,

tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

4 He taught me, and said to me:

"Let your heart retain my words.

Keep my commandments, and live.

5 Get wisdom.

Get understanding.

Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.

Love her, and she will keep you.

7 Wisdom is supreme.

Get wisdom.

Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you.

She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.

9 She will give to your head a garland of grace.

She will deliver a crown of splendor to you."

10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.

The years of your life will be many.

11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom.

I have led you in straight paths.

12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered.

When you run, you will not stumble.

13 Take firm hold of instruction.

Don’t let her go.

Keep her, for she is your life.

14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.

Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.

Turn from it, and pass on.

16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil.

Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light

that shines more and more until the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is like darkness.

They don’t know what they stumble over.

20 My son, attend to my words.

Turn your ear to my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from your eyes.

Keep them in the center of your heart.

22 For they are life to those who find them,

and health to their whole body.

23 Keep your heart with all diligence,

for out of it is the wellspring of life.

24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth.

Put corrupt lips far from you.

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead.

Fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Make the path of your feet level.

Let all of your ways be established.

27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left.

Remove your foot from evil.

1 Whakarongo, e aku tamariki, ki te whakaako a te matua, tahuri mai hoki kia matauria ai nga whakaaro mohio.

2 He pai hoki te kupu mohio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua taku ture e whakarerea.

3 He tama ano hoki ahau ki toku papa, a he ngawari, he mea kotahi e matenuitia ana e toku whaea.

4 I whakaako ano ia i ahau, i mea ki ahau, Puritia aku kupu e tou ngakau; kia mau ki aku whakahau, a e ora koe.

5 Whaia mou te whakaaro nui, whaia mou te matauranga; kaua e wareware ki tera, kaua hoki e neke atu i nga kupu a toku mangai.

6 Kaua ia e whakarerea, a mana koe e tiaki; arohaina ia, a mana koe e mau ai.

7 Ko te whakaaro nui te tino mea; no reira whaia mau te whakaaro nui; a i ou whiwhinga katoa, kia whiwhi koe ki te matauranga.

8 Whakanuia ia, a mana koe ka kake ai; ka whakahonore ia i a koe ki te awhitia e koe.

9 Ka homai e ia he pare ataahua ki tou mahunga, ka potaea ano koe e ia ki te karauna whakapaipai.

10 Whakarongo, e taku tama, maharatia aku kupu, a he maha nga tau e ora ai koe.

11 He mea whakaako koe naku ki te ara o te whakaaro nui; he mea arahi koe naku i nga ara o te tika.

12 Ka haere koe, e kore ou takahanga e whakakikitia mai; ki te rere koe, e kore koe e tutuki.

13 Kia mau ki te ako, kaua e tukua atu; matapoporetia iho, ko tou oranga hoki ia.

14 Kaua e haere i te ara o te hunga kino, kaua hoki e takahia te huarahi o te hunga he.

15 Anga ke ake, kaua e tika na reira; peka ake i taua ara, haere tonu atu.

16 E kore hoki ratou e moe ki te kore e oti tetahi mahi he ma ratou; riro rawa to ratou moe, ki te kahore tetahi tangata e hinga i a ratou.

17 No te kino hoki te taro e kainga ana e ratou, no te nanakia te waina e inumia ana e ratou.

18 Ko te huarahi ia o te hunga tika, koia ano kei te marama e whiti ana, a ka neke haere tonu ake tona marama, a taea noatia te tino ra.

19 Ko te ara o te hunga kino, me he pouri; e kore ratou e mohio ki te mea i tutuki ai ratou.

20 E taku tama, tahuri ki aku kupu; anga mai tou taringa ki aku korero.

21 Kei kotiti ke enei i ou kanohi; puritia i waenganui o tou ngakau.

22 He oranga enei mo te hunga e kitea ai, he rongoa mo o ratou kikokiko katoa.

23 Kia pau ou mahara ki te tiaki i tou ngakau; no reira hoki nga putanga o te ora.

24 Whakarerea te mangai whanoke, kia matara rawa i a koe nga ngutu tutu.

25 Kia hangai tonu te titiro whakamua a ou kanohi; kia titiro ou kamo ki mua tonu i a koe.

26 Whakatikaia te huarahi o ou waewae, kia u ano hoki ou ara katoa.

27 Kaua e peka ki matau, ki maui; kia anga ke tou waewae i te kino.