1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
Turn your ear to my understanding,
2 that you may maintain discretion,
that your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey.
Her mouth is smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,
and as sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death.
Her steps lead straight to Sheol.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life.
Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.
7 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me.
Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Remove your way far from her.
Don’t come near the door of her house,
9 lest you give your honor to others,
and your years to the cruel one;
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth,
and your labors enrich another man’s house.
11 You will groan at your latter end,
when your flesh and your body are consumed,
12 and say, "How I have hated instruction,
and my heart despised reproof.
13 I haven’t obeyed the voice of my teachers,
nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
among the gathered assembly."
15 Drink water out of your own cistern,
running water out of your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be for yourself alone,
not for strangers with you.
18 Let your spring be blessed.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe and a graceful deer—
let her breasts satisfy you at all times.
Be captivated always with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress?
Why embrace the bosom of another?
21 For the ways of man are before Yahweh’s eyes.
He examines all his paths.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him.
The cords of his sin hold him firmly.
23 He will die for lack of instruction.
In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.
1 E taku tama, tahuri ki oki whakaaro nui, kia anga tou taringa ki toku matauranga:
2 Kia u ai koe ki te ngarahu pai, kia mau ai te matauranga i ou ngutu.
3 Ko nga ngutu hoki o te wahine ke, kei te maturuturunga iho o te honikoma, ngawari iho tona mangai i te hinu.
4 He kawa rawa hoki tona mutunga i te taru kawa; he koi, ano he hoari matarua.
5 Ko ona waewae e heke ana ki te mate, mau pu te reinga i ona takahanga;
6 Heoi kahore i kitea e ia te ara totika ki te ora: he kotiti ke ona ara, a kahore ia i te matau.
7 Na reira, e aku tamariki, whakarongo mai ki ahau, kei mahue hoki nga kupu a toku mangai.
8 Kia matara tou ara i a ia, kaua hoki e tata ki te tatau o tona whare;
9 Kei hoatu tou honore ki nga tangata ke, ou tau ki te hunga nanakia:
10 Kei makona nga tangata ke i tou kaha, kei riro ou mauiui ki te whare o te tangata ke;
11 A ka tangi koe i tou whakamutunga, ina poto ou kikokiko me tou tinana.
12 A ka mea, Katae toku kino ki te ako; katae te mauiui o toku ngakau ki te tohutohu!
13 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 Wahi iti kei nga kino katoa ahau i waenganui o te whakaminenga, o te huihui.
15 Inumia he wai i roto i tau ake rua, me nga wai rere ano i roto i tau ake poka.
16 Kia tohatoha noa atu koia au puna wai, nga awa wai i nga huarahi?
17 Waiho ena mau anake, kauaka ma koutou tahi ko nga tangata ke.
18 Kia manaakitia tau puna wai: kia koa ano koe ki te wahine o tou taitamarikitanga.
19 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 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 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 Ko ona kino ano hei hopu i te tangata kino, hei taura ona hara e mau ai ia.
23 Ka mate ia, he mea kihai i whakaakona, ka pohehe i te nui o tona wairangi.