Proverbs 18

1 An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

Ko e meʻa ʻi he holi ki ai ʻae tangata, ʻoku ne vaheʻi ia ke ne kumi mo kau ʻi he poto kotoa pē.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

‌ʻOku ʻikai fiefia ʻae vale ʻi he ʻilo, ka koeʻuhi ke fakahā ʻaki ia hono loto.

3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.

‌ʻOka hoko mai ʻae angahala ʻoku haʻu mo ia ʻae manukia, pea mo e ongoongo kovi mo e valokia.

4 The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

‌ʻOku hangē ko e ngaahi vai loloto ʻae ngaahi lea mei he ngutu ʻoe tangata, pea ʻoku tatau ʻae matavai ʻoe poto mo e pā ʻae vaitafe.

5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

‌ʻOku ʻikai lelei ia ke fili ki he tangata ʻoku angahala, kae fakahinga ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni ʻi he fakamaau.

6 A fool's lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.

‌ʻOku kau ʻae loungutu ʻoe vale ʻi he kē, pea ʻoku ui mai hono ngutu ke taaʻi ia.

7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Ko e ʻauhaʻanga ʻoe vale ʻa hono ngutu, pea ko e tauhele ki hono laumālie ʻa hono loungutu.

8 The words of a gossip are like tasty morsels, and they go down into a person's innermost parts.

Ko e ngaahi lea ʻae tangata faʻa fafana ʻoku hangē ia ko e ngaahi makafokafo, pea ʻoku ʻasi mai ia ki he kakano ʻoe loto.

9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

Ko ia ʻoku fakapikopiko ʻi heʻene ngāue, ko e tokoua ia ʻoʻona ʻoku faʻa maumau meʻa.

10 The name of YHWH is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.

Ko e fale māʻolunga mo mālohi ʻae huafa ʻo Sihova: ʻoku hola ki ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni, ʻo ne moʻui ai.

11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

Ko e kolo mālohi ʻae tangata koloaʻia ko ʻene koloa, pea ʻoku tatau ia ʻi heʻene mahalo ʻaʻana mo e fuʻu ʻā māʻolunga.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.

‌ʻOku muʻomuʻa ʻi he fakaʻauha ʻae fielahi ʻi he loto ʻae tangata, pea ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻae angavaivai ʻi he hakeakiʻi.

13 He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.

Ko ia ʻoku kau ke lea ʻi ha meʻa ʻi he teʻeki te ne fanongo ki ai, ko e vale mo e fakamā ia kiate ia;

14 A man's spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

‌ʻE faʻa kātakiʻi ʻe he laumālie ʻoe tangata haʻane vaivai; ka ko hai ʻoku faʻa kātakiʻi ʻae laumālie kuo lavea?

15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

‌ʻOku maʻu ʻe he loto ʻoe fakamākukanga ʻae poto: pea ʻoku kumi ki he ʻilo ʻe he telinga ʻoe poto.

16 A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

‌ʻOku fakaʻataʻatā ʻae hala ʻoe tangata ʻoku faʻa foaki, pea ʻoku ʻomi ai ia ki he ʻao ʻoe houʻeiki.

17 He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.

Ko ia ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻi heʻene meʻa ʻaʻana ʻoku matamata totonu: ka ʻi he haʻu ʻa hono kaungāʻapi ʻoku ne ʻahiʻahiʻi ia.

18 The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.

‌ʻOku fakangatangata ʻi he fai ʻoe talotalo ʻae fakakikihi, ʻo ne vahevahe ki he kakai mālohi.

19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a fortress.

‌ʻOka koviʻia ʻae loto ʻoe tokoua ʻo ha taha, ʻoku faingataʻa lahi hake ia ʻi ha kolo ʻoku mālohi: pea ko ʻena fekeʻikeʻi ʻoku hangē ia ko e ngaahi songo ʻoe kolo.

20 A man's stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

‌ʻE fakamākona ʻae kete ʻoe tangata ʻaki ʻae fua ʻo hono ngutu: pea ʻe fakafonu ia ʻaki ʻaia ʻoku tupu mei hono loungutu.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

‌ʻOku ʻi he ʻelelo ʻae pule ki he mate mo e moʻui: pea ko kinautolu ʻoku ʻofa ki ai te nau kai ʻa hono fua.

22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of YHWH.

Ko e tangata ʻoku ne maʻu hono uaifi ʻoku maʻu ʻe ia ʻae lelei, ʻoku ne maʻu ai ʻae lelei ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova.

23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

‌ʻOku fakakolekole ʻe he masiva; ka ʻoku tali fakamālohi ʻe he koloaʻia.

24 A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Ko e tangata ʻoku ai hono ngaahi kāinga ʻoku ngali ke ne fai fakakāinga ʻe ia; pea ʻoku ai ʻae tākanga ʻoku pikitai mālohi hake ʻi ha tokoua.