Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Whakarongo, e aku tamariki, ki te whakaako a te matua, tahuri mai hoki kia matauria ai nga whakaaro mohio.
2 For I give you good doctrine. Forsake ye not my law.
He pai hoki te kupu mohio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua taku ture e whakarerea.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
He tama ano hoki ahau ki toku papa, a he ngawari, he mea kotahi e matenuitia ana e toku whaea.
4 And he taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
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 Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget, nor decline from the words of my mouth.
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 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve thee. Love her, and she will keep thee.
Kaua ia e whakarerea, a mana koe e tiaki; arohaina ia, a mana koe e mau ai.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
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 Exalt her, and she will promote thee. She will bring thee to honor when thou embrace her.
Whakanuia ia, a mana koe ka kake ai; ka whakahonore ia i a koe ki te awhitia e koe.
9 She will give to thy head a garland of grace, a crown of beauty she will deliver to thee.
Ka homai e ia he pare ataahua ki tou mahunga, ka potaea ano koe e ia ki te karauna whakapaipai.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many.
Whakarongo, e taku tama, maharatia aku kupu, a he maha nga tau e ora ai koe.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
He mea whakaako koe naku ki te ara o te whakaaro nui; he mea arahi koe naku i nga ara o te tika.
12 When thou go, thy steps shall not be restricted. And if thou run, thou shall not stumble.
Ka haere koe, e kore ou takahanga e whakakikitia mai; ki te rere koe, e kore koe e tutuki.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is thy life.
Kia mau ki te ako, kaua e tukua atu; matapoporetia iho, ko tou oranga hoki ia.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Kaua e haere i te ara o te hunga kino, kaua hoki e takahia te huarahi o te hunga he.
15 Avoid it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Anga ke ake, kaua e tika na reira; peka ake i taua ara, haere tonu atu.
16 For they do not sleep unless they do evil. And their sleep is taken away unless they cause to fall.
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 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
No te kino hoki te taro e kainga ana e ratou, no te nanakia te waina e inumia ana e ratou.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
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 The way of the wicked is as darkness. They know not at what they stumble.
Ko te ara o te hunga kino, me he pouri; e kore ratou e mohio ki te mea i tutuki ai ratou.
20 My son, attend to my words. Incline thine ear to my sayings.
E taku tama, tahuri ki aku kupu; anga mai tou taringa ki aku korero.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes. Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Kei kotiti ke enei i ou kanohi; puritia i waenganui o tou ngakau.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
He oranga enei mo te hunga e kitea ai, he rongoa mo o ratou kikokiko katoa.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Kia pau ou mahara ki te tiaki i tou ngakau; no reira hoki nga putanga o te ora.
24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and put perverse lips far from thee.
Whakarerea te mangai whanoke, kia matara rawa i a koe nga ngutu tutu.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Kia hangai tonu te titiro whakamua a ou kanohi; kia titiro ou kamo ki mua tonu i a koe.
26 Make the path of thy feet level, and let all thy ways be established.
Whakatikaia te huarahi o ou waewae, kia u ano hoki ou ara katoa.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot from evil.
Kaua e peka ki matau, ki maui; kia anga ke tou waewae i te kino.
