Psalms 12

1 “To the chief musician upon Sheminith, a psalm of David.” Help, O Lord; for the pious have ceased to be; for the truthful have failed from among the children of men.

Ki he Takimuʻa ʻi he Semini, ko e Saame ʻa Tevita. ‌ʻE Sihova, ke ke fakamoʻui; he kuo ngata ʻae tangata anga fakaʻotua; he ʻoku fakaʻaʻau ʻo tokosiʻi ʻae angatonu ʻi he ngaahi fānau ʻae tangata.

2 Deceptively do they speak every one with his neighbor, with flattering lips, with a double heart do they speak.

‌ʻOku nau taki taha lea loi ki hono kaungāʻapi: ʻoku nau lea ʻi he loungutu lapu mo e kākā.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh boastful things:

‌ʻE fakaʻauha ʻe Sihova ʻae ngaahi loungutu lapu kotoa pē, pea mo e ʻelelo ʻoku lea ʻaki ʻae ngaahi meʻa fakafielahi:

4 Who have said, With our tongue will we be mighty; our lips are with us; who is Lord over us!

‌ʻAkinautolu naʻe pehē, “Te tau ikuna ʻaki hotau ʻelelo; ʻoku ʻotautolu pe hotau loungutu: ko hai ʻae ʻeiki kiate kitautolu?

5 Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord: I will grant safety to him for whom the other layeth a snare.

‌ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova, “Ko e meʻa ʻi he fakamālohiʻi ʻoe masiva, mo e ngaahi mafulu ʻoe vaivai, te u tuʻu hake; te u fokotuʻu moʻui ia meiate ia ʻaia ʻoku manuki kiate ia.”

6 The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver refined in the crucible of earth, purified seven times.

Ko e ngaahi folofola ʻa Sihova ko e folofola maʻa ia: ʻo hangē ko e siliva kuo ʻahiʻahi ʻi he kulo ʻumea, kuo tuʻo fitu hono fakamaʻa.

7 Thou, O Lord, wilt preserve them; thou wilt guard them from this generation for ever.

‌ʻE Sihova, te ke tauhi ʻakinautolu, te ke fakamoʻui ʻakinautolu mei he toʻutangata ni ʻo taʻengata.

8 On every side do the wicked walk about, when the vile are exalted over the sons of man.

‌ʻOku ʻeveʻeva ʻae angakovi ʻi he potu kotoa pē, ʻoka hakeakiʻi ʻae kau tangata ʻoku mātuʻaki kovi.