Proverbs 17
1 Better is a piece of dry bread, and quiet therewith, than a house full of the sacrifices of contention.
ʻOku lelei hake ʻae kihiʻi meʻakai siʻi ʻoku mōmoa, mo e fakalongolongo, ʻi he fale ʻoku fonu ʻi he meʻakai lelei, ka ʻoku ʻi ai mo e feʻiteʻitani.
2 An intelligent servant will have rule over a son that bringeth shame, and among the brothers will he have part of the inheritance.
ʻE pule ʻae tamaioʻeiki ʻoku poto ki he foha ʻoku fai fakamā; pea ʻe maʻu ʻe ia ha tofiʻa fakataha mo e fānau.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the Lord probeth the hearts.
Ko e kulo ʻahiʻahiʻi ko e meʻa ia ki he siliva, pea ko e meʻa ki he koula ʻae afi kakaha: ka ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻae loto kotoa pē ʻe Sihova.
4 An evil-doer listeneth to unjust lips: falsehood giveth ear to a tongue that bringeth destruction.
ʻOku tokanga ʻae tangata fai kovi ki he loungutu ʻoku loi; pea ʻoku tokanga ʻe ia ʻoku loi ki he ʻelelo ʻoku kovi.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker: he that is glad at calamities will not remain unpunished.
Ko ia ʻoku manuki ki he masiva ʻoku valoki ʻe ia ʻa hono Tupuʻanga: pea ʻe ʻikai fakatonuhiaʻi ʻae tangata ko ia ʻoku fiefia ʻi he hoko ʻae ngaahi kovi.
6 The crown of old men are children's children; and the ornament of children are their fathers.
Ko e fānau ʻae fānau ko e tatā ia ʻoe kau mātuʻa: pea ko e lelei ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻenau ngaahi tamai.
7 High-toned language is not seemly to a worthless fool: and yet much less the language of falsehood to a noble.
ʻOku ʻikai ngali mo e vale ʻae lea lelei: pea ʻoku taʻengali ʻaupito mo ha ʻeiki ʻae loungutu ʻoku loi.
8 As a precious stone appeareth a bribe in the eyes of him that obtaineth it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
ʻOku tatau ha meʻa foaki mo e maka mahuʻinga ki he mata ʻoʻona ʻoku ne maʻu ia: he ʻoku lelei pe ia ʻi he potu kotoa pē ʻoku tafoki ia ki ai.
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth confident friends.
ʻOku ʻofeina ia ʻoku faʻa ʻufiʻufi ʻae fai hala: ka ko ia ʻoku toe lea ʻaki ha meʻa, ko e fakamāvae ia ʻoe kaumeʻa feʻofoʻofani.
10 A reproof penetrateth more deeply into a wise man, than a hundred stripes into a fool.
ʻOku ongongofua ʻae valoki ki he loto ʻoe tangata poto ʻi he kauʻimaea ke liunga teau ki he vale.
11 Only rebellion doth a bad man seek: therefore a cruel messenger will be sent out against him.
ʻOku fie talangataʻa pe ʻae tangata angakovi; pea ko ia ʻe fekau atu ai kiate ia ha taha ʻoku angamālohi.
12 A man may meet a she-bear robbed of her whelps, but not a fool in his folly.
ʻOku lelei hake ke fakafetaulaki ha tangata mo ha pea kuo kaihaʻasi mei ai ʻa hono ʻuhiki, ʻi he fetaulaki mo ha vale ʻi heʻene vale.
13 Whoso bestoweth evil in return for good—evil shall not depart from his house.
Ko ia ʻoku ne totongi ʻaki ʻae kovi ki he lelei, ʻe ʻikai mavahe ʻae kovi mei hono fale.
14 As one letteth loose [a stream] of water, so is the beginning of strife: therefore before it be enkindled, leave off the contest.
Ko e kamataʻanga ʻoe feʻiteʻitani ʻoku hangē ko e fakapā mai ʻo ha vai: ko ia ke tuku ʻā ʻae fekeʻikeʻi ʻi he teʻeki ai hoko ha meʻa.
15 He that declareth the wicked innocent, and he that condemneth the righteous, yea, both of them are equally an abomination to the Lord.
ʻOku fakatou fakalielia kia Sihova ʻaia ʻoku ne fakatonuhiaʻi ʻae halaia, mo ia ʻoku ne talatalaakiʻi ʻae māʻoniʻoni.
16 Wherefore is the purchase-money in the hand of a fool to acquire wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?
Ko e hā eni kuo ʻai ʻae totongi ki he nima ʻoe vale ke ne maʻu ai ʻae poto, ka ʻoku ʻikai te ne maʻu ha loto ki ai?
17 A friend loveth at all times, and as a brother is he born for [the time of] distress.
ʻOku ʻofa maʻuaipē ʻae kāinga moʻoni, pea kuo fanauʻi ho tokoua ke talifaki ʻae ʻaho ʻoe kovi.
18 A man void of sense pledgeth his hand, and becometh surety for his friend.
Ko e tangata ʻoku masiva poto, ʻoku puke ʻe ia ʻae nima, ʻo ne fai ʻae fakamoʻoni totongi ʻi he ʻao ʻo hono kāinga.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth quarrel; and he that maketh high his door seeketh destruction.
Ko ia ʻoku manako ki he feʻiteʻitani ʻoku ʻofa ia ki he kovi: pea ko ia ʻoku hiki hake hono matapā ʻoku kumi ʻe ia ki he fakaʻauha.
20 He that hath a froward heart will not find happiness; and he that hath a perverse tongue will fall into evil.
ʻOku ʻikai ʻilo ha lelei siʻi ʻe ia ʻoku loto talangataʻa: pea ʻoku tō hifo ki he kovi ʻaia ʻoku maʻu ʻae ʻelelo kovi.
21 He that begetteth a fool [doth it] to his sorrow; and the father of a worthless fool cannot have any joy.
Ko ia ʻoku ne fakatupu ha vale ʻoku ne fai ke ne mamahi ai ia: pea ʻoku ʻikai maʻu ha fiefia ʻe he tamai ʻae tangata vale.
22 A merry heart causeth a healthy appearance of the countenance, but a depressed spirit drieth up the bones.
ʻOku tupu ʻae lelei ʻo hangē ha faitoʻo mei he loto ʻoku fiefia: ka ʻoku fakamōmoa ʻae hui ʻe he laumālie kuo mafesi.
23 A wicked man taketh a bribe out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of justice.
ʻOku toʻo mai ʻe he angakovi ha meʻa foaki mei he fatafata, ke ne taki kehe ʻae hala ʻoe fakamaau.
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are at the ends of the earth.
ʻOku ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tangata ʻoku faʻa fakakaukau ʻae poto: ka ʻoku ʻi he ngaahi ngataʻanga ʻo māmani ʻae mata ʻoe vale.
25 A foolish son is a vexation to his father, and bitterness to her that hath born him.
Ko e foha ʻoku vale ko e fakamamahi ia ki heʻene tamai, mo e ongosia kiate ia naʻe fāʻeleʻi ia.
26 To punish the just with a fine even is not good, nor to strike the noble [-hearted] for [their] equity.
ʻOku ʻikai lelei ke tautea ʻae angatonu: pe ko e taaʻi ʻoe houʻeiki ʻi heʻenau fai totonu.
27 He that holdeth back his speeches hath knowledge; and he that is sparing of his spirit is a man of understanding.
Ko ia ʻoku ne maʻu ʻae poto ʻoku ne taʻofi ki heʻene lea: pea ʻoku loto lelei ʻae tangata ko ia ʻoku faʻa fakakaukau.
28 Even a fool, when he keepeth silence, is counted wise: he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.
Naʻa mo e vale ʻoku lau ia ko e poto, ʻoka fakalongo pē ia: pea ʻoku lau ko e tangata faʻa ʻilo ʻaia ʻoku mapuni hono loungutu.
