Ecclesiastes 7

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

Ko te ingoa pai, pai atu i te hinu utu nui; ko te ra o te matenga, pai atu i te ra o to te tangata whanautanga.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

Ko te haere ki te whare tangihanga, pai atu i te haere ki te whare hakari; ko te mutunga hoki ia o nga tangata katoa; a ka rongoatia e te tangata ora ki roto ki tona ngakau.

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Ko te ngakau mamae, pai atu i te kata; ma te pouri hoki o te mata ka pai ai te ngakau.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Kei te whare tangihanga te ngakau o te hunga whakaaro nui; kei te whare ia o te kata te ngakau o nga wairangi.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Ko te whakarongo, ina riria te he e te tangata whakaaro nui, pai atu i ta te tangata whakarongo ki te waiata a nga wairangi.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

Rite tonu hoki ki te papatanga o nga tataramoa i raro i te kohua te kata a te wairangi. He horihori ano tenei.

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

He pono ma te pahua ka wairangi ai te tangata whakaaro nui, ma te mea homai noa hoki ka kore ai te ngakau mahara.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Ko te mutunga o te mea, pai atu i tona timatanga: pai atu te wairua manawanui i te wairua whakakake.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Kei hohoro tou wairua ki te riri: kei te uma hoki o nga wairangi te riri e noho ana.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Kaua e mea, He aha nga rangi o mua i pai ake ai i enei? Kahore hoki he whakaaro nui ou i ui ai koe ki tena.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

He pai tonu te whakaaro nui, ano he taonga tuku iho: ae ra, he pai rawa ake ki te hunga e kite ana i te ra.

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

Hei whakamarumaru iho te whakaaro nui, hei pera hoki i te moni te whakamarumaru: ko te pai ia o te matauranga koia tenei, ka ora i te whakaaro nui nga tangata nana.

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

Whakaaroa ta te Atua mahi: ko wai hoki hei mea kia tika tana i mea ai kia hape?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

I te ra pai kia koa, a i te ra kino whakaaro: kua mahia nei hoki e te Atua tetahi kia takoto tahi me tetahi, he mea kia kaua ai e kitea e te tangata tetahi mea i muri i a ia.

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

Kua kite ahau i tenei katoa i nga ra oku i te horihori; he tangata tika tetahi, ngaro iho ia i runga i tona tika; he tangata kino tetahi, roa noa iho ia i te ao i runga i tona kino.

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

Kaua e whakanuia rawatia tou tika; kaua hoki e whakanuia rawatia ou whakaaro: he aha koe i whakangaro ai i a koe?

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Kaua e whakanuia rawatia tou kino, kaua ano hoki e wairangi: kia mate koe hei aha, i te mea kahore ano tou wa kia rite noa?

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

He pai ki te puritia tenei kupu e koe; kaua hoki tou ringa e unuhia mai i tera; ko te tangata hoki e wehi ana i te Atua ka puta mai i roto i era katoa.

Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Ko te whakaaro nui rahi ake tona kaha mo te tangata whakaaro i to nga rangatira kotahi tekau i roto i te pa.

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Kahore hoki he tangata tika i te whenua e mahi ana i te pai, a kahore ona hara.

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

Kaua ano e whakarongo ki nga mea katoa e korerotia ana; kei rongo koe ki tau pononga e kanga ana i a koe;

For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

He maha hoki nga wa, e mohio ana tou ngakau, i kanga ai koe ano i etahi.

All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

I whakamatauria e ahau tenei katoa, he mea whakaaro marie; i mea ahau, ka whakaaro nui ahau; otiia i matara noa atu tenei i ahau.

That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

Ko te mea onaianei he tawhiti rawa, he hohonu rawa hoki; ko wai hei kite?

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

I anga toku ngakau, i mea kia mohio, kia kimihia, kia rapua nga whakaaro nui me nga tikanga, kia mohio ano hoki he wairangi te kino, he porangi te wairangi:

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

A ka kite ahau i te mea kawa atu i te mate, ara i te wahine, he rore nei, he kupenga tona ngakau, he rahiri hoki ona ringa: ko te tangata e paingia ana e te Atua ka mawhiti i a ia; ko te tangata hara ia ka mau i a ia.

Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

Nana, kua kitea tenei e ahau, e ai ta te Kaikauwhau, he mea whakarite tetahi mea ki tetahi, kia kitea ai te tikanga:

Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

He mea e rapua nei ano e toku wairua, a kahore ano i kitea: kotahi te tangata i kitea e ahau i roto i te mano; na i roto i enei katoa kahore ahau i kite i tetahi wahine.

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Nana, ko tenei anake i kitea e ahau, ara i tika te tangata i ta te Atua hanganga; engari he maha nga tikanga i rapua e ratou.