< Proverbs 25 >

1 These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
Ko eni foki ʻae ngaahi lea fakatātā ʻa Solomone, ʻaia naʻe hiki ʻe he kau tangata ʻa Hesekaia ko e tuʻi ʻo Siuta.
2 The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honors business.
Ko e nāunau ia ʻoe ʻOtua ke fakafufū ha meʻa: ka ko e meʻa ʻe ongoongolelei ai ʻae ngaahi tuʻi ke kumi ke ʻilo ʻae ngaahi meʻa.
3 Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
Ko e langi ʻi hono māʻolunga, mo e māmani ʻi hono taumamaʻo, mo e loto ʻoe ngaahi tuʻi, ʻoku taʻefaʻaʻiloʻi.
4 Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
Ke toʻo atu ʻae ʻuli mei he siliva, pea ʻe ngaohi mei ai ha ipu ʻe ia ʻoku ne fakamaʻa siliva.
5 Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
Ke ʻave ʻae angahala mei he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻe fokotuʻumaʻu ai hono nofoʻa fakaʻeiʻeiki ʻi he māʻoniʻoni.
6 Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
‌ʻOua naʻa ke hiki hake koe ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻoua naʻa ke tuʻu ʻi he potu ʻoe kakai māʻolunga.
7 for [it is] better for you that it should be said, Come up to me, than that [one] should humble you in the presence of the prince; speak of that which your eyes have seen.
He ʻoku lelei hake ke lea ʻo pehē kiate koe, “ʻAlu hake koe ki heni;” ʻi he tuku koe ʻo fakamaʻulalo ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi kuo ke mamata ki ai.
8 Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.
‌ʻOua naʻa ke ʻalu fakavave atu ke fakakikihi, telia naʻa ʻe ʻikai te ke ʻilo ʻae meʻa ke fai ʻoka ʻosi ia, ʻoka fakamaaʻi koe ʻe ho kaungāʻapi.
9 Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
Ke mo fai toko ua pe hoʻo mo fakakikihi mo ho kaungāʻapi; pea ʻoua naʻa fakahā ha tala fakalilolilo ki ha taha kehe:
10 lest your friend continue to reproach you, so your quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to you like death. Favour and friendship set [a man] free, which do you keep for yourself, lest you be made liable to reproach; but take heed to your ways peaceably.
Telia naʻa fakamaaʻi koe ʻe ia ʻoku fanongo ki ai, pea ʻikai toe foki meiate koe ho ongoongo kovi.
11 [As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
Ko e lea ʻoku ngali mo totonu hono leaʻaki, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ʻapele koula ʻi ha ipu siliva.
12 In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
‌ʻO hangē ko e hau koula mo e teunga ʻoe koula lelei, ʻoku pehē ia ʻaia ʻoku valoki fakapotopoto kiate ia ʻoku telinga ongo.
13 As a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.
‌ʻO hangē ko e momoko ʻoe ʻuha hinehina ʻi he lolotonga ʻae ututaʻu, ʻoku pehē ʻae talafekau totonu kiate kinautolu ʻoku nau fekauʻi ia: he ʻoku ne fakafiemālie ʻe ia ki he loto ʻo ʻene houʻeiki.
14 As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
Ko ia ia ʻoku polepole ʻi ha foaki loi, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ngaahi ʻao mo e matangi taʻehanoʻuha.
15 In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
‌ʻOku fakalotoʻi ʻae tuʻi ʻi he fai fakakukafi, pea ʻoku fesiʻi ʻae hui ʻe he ʻelelo molū.
16 Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply you be filled, and vomit it up.
Kuo ke ʻilo ha honi? Kai ai koe ke mākona lelei pe, telia naʻa ke fatufāʻia ai, pea lua ʻaki.
17 Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.
Ke taʻofi ho vaʻe mei he fale ʻo ho kaungāʻapi; telia naʻa fiu ia ʻiate koe, pea fehiʻa ai kiate koe.
18 [As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.
Ko e tangata ʻoku fakamoʻoni loi ki hono kaungāʻapi, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ʻakau fakapō, mo e heletā, pea mo e ngahau māsila.
19 The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
Ko e falala ʻi he tuʻutāmaki ki ha tangata taʻeangatonu, ʻoku hangē ia ko e nifo popo, pe ko e vaʻe kuo tapeva.
20 As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart.
‌ʻOku hangē ko e tangata ʻoku toʻo ʻo ʻave ha kofu ʻi he faʻahitaʻu momoko, pea hangē ko e fefiofi ʻae vaimahi mo e naita, ʻoku pehē ʻaia ʻoku hiva ʻaki ʻae ngaahi fasi ki he loto māfasia.
21 If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
Kapau ʻoku fiekaia ho fili, foaki ki ai ʻae mā ke ne kai; pea kapau ʻoku fieinua, foaki kiate ia ʻae vai ke inu:
22 for so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward you [with] good.
He te ke hilifaki ai ʻae malalaʻi afi ki hono ʻulu, pea ʻe totongi lelei ʻe Sihova kiate koe.
23 The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
‌ʻOku tupu ʻae ʻuha mei he matangi tokelau; ʻoku pehē foki ʻoku tupu ʻae matalili mei he ʻelelo ʻoe fakakovi.
24 [It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
‌ʻOku lelei hake ʻae nofo ʻi he tuliki ʻi he tuʻa fale, ʻi he nofo mo ha fefine faʻa kē ʻi ha fale ʻoku fuʻu ʻatā.
25 As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
‌ʻOku hangē ko e vai momoko kiate ia ʻoku fieinua, ʻoku pehē ʻae ongoongolelei mei he fonua mamaʻo.
26 As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
Ko e hinga ʻae tangata māʻoniʻoni ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kau angahala, ʻoku hangē ia ko e matavai kuo fakangaueue, mo e vaitafe kuo fakaʻuliʻi.
27 [It is] not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honor venerable sayings.
‌ʻOku ʻikai lelei ke kai lahi ʻi he honi: pea pehē, ko e kumi ʻe he kakai honau ongoongolelei ʻonautolu pe ʻoku ʻikai ko e ongoongolelei ia.
28 As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
Ko ia ia ʻoku ʻikai faʻa puleʻi hono laumālie ʻoʻona, ʻoku tatau ia mo e kolo kuo holoki hifo, pea ʻoku ʻikai hano ʻā.

< Proverbs 25 >