1 He pērā i te hukarere i te raumati, i te ua hoki i te kotinga wīti,
2 He pērā i te manu e rererere noa ana, i te warou i ōna rerenga
3 He whiu mō te hōiho, he paraire mō te kāihe,
4 Kei rite ki tōna whakaarokore tāu whakautu ki te wairangi,
5 Kia rite ki tōna whakaarokore tāu whakautu ki te wairangi,
6 Ko te tangata e tuku kōrero ana mā te ringa o te wairangi,
7 E tautau noa ana ngā waewae o te kopa;
8 Ko te takai mea whakapaipai i roto i te pūranga kōhatu,
9 E rite ana ki te tātarāmoa e wero nei i te ringa o te haurangi,
10 Ka rite ki te kaikōpere i tū ai te katoa,
11 Ka rite ki te kurī e hoki nei ki tōna ruaki,
12 Ka kite koe i te tangata e mea ana ki a ia he whakaaro nui?
13 E kī ana te māngere, “He raiona kei te ara;
14 He pērā i te tatau e tāhurihuri rā i runga i ōna īnihi,
15 E kuhua ana e te māngere tōna ringa ki te rīhi;
16 He nui kē ake te whakaaro nui o te māngere, ki tāna nei whakaaro,
17 Ko te tangata e haere atu ana, e pokanoa ana ki te whawhai ehara nei i a ia,
18 Rite tonu ki te haurangi e makamaka ana i ngā mea mura,
19 te tangata e tinihanga ana ki tōna hoa,
20 Ki te kāhore he wahie, ka mate te ahi;
21 He waro ki ngā ngārahu wera, he wahie ki te ahi;
22 He rite ngā kupu a te kaikawekawe kōrero ki te maramara reka,
23 He ngutu pukā me te ngākau kino,
24 Ko te tangata mauāhara e whakaware ana ki ōna ngutu,
25 ki te pai tōna reo, kaua e whakapono ki a ia;
26 Ahakoa hīpoki tōna mauāhara i a ia ki te tinihanga,
27 Ko te tangata e keri ana i te rua, ka taka anō ki roto;
28 E kino ana te arero teka ki āna i kuru ai,