Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
ʻAe fānau, mou fanongo ki he akonaki ʻae tamai, pea tokanga ke ʻilo ʻae poto.
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
He ʻoku ou foaki ʻae akonaki lelei kiate kimoutolu, pea ʻoua naʻa mou liʻaki ʻa ʻeku fono.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
He ko e foha au ʻo ʻeku tamai, ko e pele mo e ʻofeina taha pe au ʻi he ʻao ʻo ʻeku faʻē.
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
Naʻa ne akonakiʻi foki au, ʻo ne pehē mai, “Tuku ke maʻu ʻi ho loto ʻa ʻeku ngaahi lea: tauhi ʻa ʻeku ngaahi fekau, ka ke moʻui.”
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Ke ke maʻu ʻae poto, pea maʻu mo e ʻilo: ʻoua naʻa ngalo ia; pea ʻoua naʻa ke fakaholomui mei he ngaahi lea ʻa hoku ngutu.
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
ʻOua naʻa liʻaki ia, pea te ne fakamoʻui koe: ke ke ʻofa kiate ia, pea te ne tauhi kiate koe.
Ko e poto ko e meʻa ʻoku fungani hake ia; ko ia ke ke maʻu ʻae poto: pea ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ke maʻu, ke ke maʻu mo e ʻilo.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honour it, that it may embrace you;
Fakahikihikiʻi ia, pea te ne hakeakiʻi koe: pea ʻi hoʻo fāʻufua kiate ia, te ne fakaongoongolelei koe.
9 that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
ʻE ai ʻe ʻia ʻae teunga matamatalelei ki ho ʻulu: ko e tatā ʻoe nāunau te ne foaki kiate koe.”
10 Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
ʻE hoku foha, fanongo, pea ke maʻu ʻa ʻeku ngaahi tala, pea ʻe hoko ai ʻo lahi ʻae ngaahi taʻu ʻo hoʻo moʻui.
11 For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
Kuo u akonakiʻi koe ʻi he hala ʻoe poto; pea kuo u tataki koe ʻi he ngaahi ʻaluʻanga totonu.
12 For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
ʻOka ke ka ʻeveʻeva ʻe ʻikai ʻefihia ho vaʻe; pea ʻoka ke ka lele ʻe ʻikai te ke hinga.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
Puke ke maʻu ʻae akonaki; ʻoua naʻa tukuange ia: kuku maʻu ia; he ko hoʻo moʻui ia.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
ʻOua naʻa ke ʻalu atu ki he hala ʻoe angahala, pea ʻoua naʻa ʻeveʻeva ʻi he ʻaluʻanga ʻoe kakai angakovi.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
Fakaʻehiʻehi mei ai, ʻoua naʻa ke ofi ki ai, tafoki mei ai, pea ʻalu atu pe.
16 For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
He ʻoku ʻikai te nau mohe, ka ʻi heʻenau lavaʻi ʻae kovi; pea ʻi he ʻikai te nau fakahinga ha niʻihi ʻoku ʻikai ai te nau faʻa mohe.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
He ʻoku nau kai ʻae mā ʻoe fai kovi, ʻonau inu ʻi he uaine ʻoe fakamālohi.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
Ka ko e hala ʻoe angatonu ʻoku tatau ia mo e ulo ʻoe maama, ʻaia ʻoku ʻāsili pe ʻene ulo ʻo aʻu ki he haohaoa ʻoe ʻaho.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
ʻOku tatau mo e poʻuli ʻae hala ʻoe angahala: ʻoku ʻikai te nau ʻilo ʻaia ʻoku nau tūkia ai.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
ʻE hoku foha, tokanga ki heʻeku ngaahi lea; fakatokangaʻi ho telinga ki heʻeku ngaahi tala.
21 that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
Ke ʻoua naʻa mole atu ia mei ho mata; ke maʻu ia ʻi he kakano ʻo ho loto.
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
He ko e moʻui ia kiate kinautolu ʻoku maʻu ia, pea ko e faitoʻo ki honau kakano.
23 Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
Ke ke tauhi fakamātoato ki ho loto; he ʻoku tupu mei ai ʻae ikuʻanga ʻoe moʻui.
24 Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
Ke liʻaki ke mamaʻo ʻiate koe ʻae ngutu ʻoku kovi, mo e loungutu paongataʻa.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Ke sio totonu atu pe ho mata, pea ke hangatonu ki muʻa ho laumata ʻiate koe.
26 Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
Fakakaukau ki he ʻalunga ʻo ho vaʻe, pea ʻe fakatonutonu ai ho ngaahi hala kotoa pē.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
ʻOua naʻa afe ki he nima toʻomataʻu pe ki he toʻohema: ka ke fakatafoki ho vaʻe mei he kovi.
