Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
ʻOku fakanamukū ʻe he lango kuo mate ʻae meʻa namu lelei ʻae tangata faitoʻo: pea ʻoku pehē ʻae vale siʻi ʻo ha taha ʻoku ongoongoa ʻa ʻene poto mo ʻene angatonu.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
Ko e loto ʻoe tangata poto ʻoku ʻi hono nima toʻomataʻu; ka ʻoku ʻi hono toʻohema ʻae loto ʻoe vale.
3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
ʻIo, ko e moʻoni, ʻoka ʻeveʻeva ʻae vale ʻi he hala kuo mole hono loto, pea ʻoku ne tala ki he kakai kotoa pē ko e vale pe ia.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
Kapau ʻe tuputāmaki ʻae loto ʻoe pule kiate koe, ʻoua naʻa ke hiki mei hoʻo ngāue; he ʻoku fakamolemole ʻae kovi lahi ʻe he tali angavaivai.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
ʻOku ai ʻae kovi kuo u mamata ki ai ʻi he lalo laʻā, ko e fai hala ʻoe pule:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Kuo hakeakiʻi ʻae vale ke māʻolunga, pea nofo ʻae koloaʻia ʻi he potu māʻulalo.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
Kuo u mamata ki he heka hoosi ʻae kau tamaioʻeiki, kae ʻeveʻeva ʻi he funga kelekele ʻae fānau ʻae tuʻi ʻo hangē ha kau tamaioʻeiki.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Ko ia ʻoku keli ʻae luo ʻe tō ia ki ai; pea ko ia ʻoku maumauʻi ʻae ʻā, ʻe uʻu ia ʻe he ngata fekai.
9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
Ko ia ʻoku hiki ʻae ngaahi maka ʻe lavea ai ia; pea ko ia ʻoku tā ʻakau ʻe tuʻutāmaki ai.
10 If the ax is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
Kapau ʻoku peku ʻae toki, pea ʻikai fakaʻalo, ʻoku totonu ke ne ʻai ʻaki ia ʻae mālohi lahi; ka ʻoku ʻaonga ʻae poto ke fakahinohino.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
Ko e moʻoni ʻe uʻu ʻae ngata ʻoka ʻikai fakalalata; pea ʻoku tatau mo ia ʻae tangata faʻa lea.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
ʻOku lelei ʻae lea mei he ngutu ʻoe tangata poto; ka ʻe fakaʻauha ʻae vale ʻe hono loungutu ʻoʻona.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Ko e kamataʻanga ʻoe lea ʻa hono ngutu ko e vale ia; pea ko e ikuʻanga ʻo ʻene lea ko e pauʻu mo e faha.
14 A fool also multiplies words. Man does not know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
ʻOku fonu foki ʻae vale ʻi he lea: ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fakahā mai ʻe ha tangata ʻae meʻa ʻe hoko; pea ko e meʻa ʻe hoko ʻi he hili ʻa ʻene moʻui ni, ko hai ha taha ʻe faʻa tala ia kiate ia?
15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he does not know how to go to the city.
ʻOku ongosia ʻae vale taki taha kotoa pē ʻi heʻene ngāue, koeʻuhi ʻoku ʻikai te ne ʻilo pe ʻoku fēfē ʻene ʻalu ki he kolo.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
ʻE fonua, ʻe malaʻia ʻa koe, ʻi he kei tamasiʻi ʻa ho tuʻi, pea keinanga ʻi he kei pongipongi ʻa ho houʻeiki pule!
17 Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
ʻE fonua, ʻoku ke monūʻia, ʻo kapau ko ho tuʻi ko e foha ia ʻoe houʻeiki, pea keinanga ho houʻeiki ʻi he feituʻulaʻā totonu, ke nau mālohi kae ʻikai ke konā ai!
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
Ko e meʻa ʻi he fakapikopiko lahi ʻoku fakaʻaʻau ke motuʻa ʻae fale; pea ʻi he taʻengāue ʻae nima ʻoku tutulu ʻae fale.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
ʻOku ngaohi ʻae kātoanga ke tupu ai ʻae kata, pea ʻoku fakafiefia ʻe he uaine; ka ʻoku ʻaonga ʻae paʻanga ki he meʻa kotoa pē.
20 Do not curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and do not curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.
ʻOua naʻa lea kovi ki he tuʻi, ʻoua ʻaupito naʻa ke mahalo ki ai; pea ʻoua naʻa lea kovi ki he koloaʻia ʻi ho potu mohe: koeʻuhi ʻe fakaongo atu ho leʻo ʻe he manupuna ʻoe ʻatā, pea ʻe tala ʻae meʻa ʻe he manu ʻoku kapakau.
