Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
ʻOka ke ka nofo ke keinanga mo ha taha ʻoku pule, tokanga lahi ki he meʻa ʻoku ʻi ho ʻao:
2 put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
Pea kapau ko e tangata faʻa kai koe, ai ha hele ki ho kia.
3 Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
ʻOua naʻa ke holi ki heʻene ngaahi meʻa lelei: he ko e meʻakai kākā ia.
4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
ʻOua naʻa fai feinga ke ke koloaʻia: pea ʻoua naʻa falala ki ho poto ʻoʻou.
5 Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
He te ke sio fakamamaʻu ki he meʻa ʻoku ʻikai? He ko e moʻoni ʻoku ngaohi ʻe he koloa hono kapakau; ʻoku puna atu ia ʻo hangē ko e ʻikale ki he langi.
6 Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
ʻOua naʻa ke kai ʻi he mā ʻaʻana ʻoku manumanu hono mata, pea ʻoua naʻa ke holi ki heʻene ngaahi meʻakai lelei:
7 for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
He ko e ngaahi mahalo ʻo hono loto, ko ia ai pe ia: ʻoku ne pehē kiate koe, “Ke ke kai mo inu;” ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate koe hono loto.
8 You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
Ko e momoʻi meʻa kuo ke kai te ke toe lua ʻaki, pea mole mo hoʻo ngaahi lea lelei.
9 Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
ʻOua naʻa ke lea ʻi he telinga ʻoe vale, he te ne manukiʻi ʻae poto ʻo hoʻo ngaahi lea.
10 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
ʻOua naʻa hiki ʻae kauʻā motuʻa; pea ʻoua naʻa faʻao ʻae potu ngoue ʻae tamai mate:
11 for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
He ʻoku māfimafi ʻa honau huhuʻi, pea te ne fai mo koe ʻi heʻenau meʻa.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Fakatokangaʻi ho loto ki he akonaki, pea mo ho telinga ki he ngaahi lea ʻae ʻilo.
13 Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
ʻOua naʻa taʻofi ʻae tauteʻi mei he tamasiʻi: he kapau te ke taaʻi ia ʻaki ʻae meʻa tā, ʻe ʻikai mate ia.
He te ke tauteʻi ʻaki ia ʻae meʻa tā, ʻo fakahaofi ai hono laumālie mei heli. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
ʻE hoku foha, kapau ʻe poto ho loto, ʻe fiefia ai hoku loto, ʻio, te u fiefia au.
16 Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Ko e moʻoni ʻe fiefia hoku loto, ʻoka lea ʻaki ʻe ho loungutu ʻae ngaahi meʻa totonu.
17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear Yahweh all day long.
ʻOua naʻa meheka ho loto ki he angahala: ka ke manavahē koe kia Sihova ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē.
18 Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
He ko e moʻoni ʻoku ai ha ngataʻanga; pea ʻe ʻikai motuhi hoʻo ʻamanaki.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
Ke ke fanongo, ʻE hoku foha, pea ke poto, pea fakahinohino ho loto ʻi he hala.
20 Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
ʻOua naʻa ke kau mo e kakai faʻa inu ke konā, mo kinautolu ʻoku ʻuakai ki heʻenau meʻakai:
21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Koeʻuhi ʻe iku ki he masiva ʻaia ʻoku faʻa konā mo faʻa ʻuakai: pea ko ia ʻoku faʻa mohe ʻe kofu mahaehae pe ia.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
Fakaongo ki hoʻo tamai naʻa ke tupu ai, pea ʻoua naʻa ke taʻeʻofa ki hoʻo faʻē ʻoka motuʻa ia.
23 Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
Fakatau mai ʻae moʻoni, pea ʻoua naʻa toe fakatau atu; ʻae poto, mo e akonaki, pea mo e faʻa fakakaukau.
24 The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
ʻE fiefia lahi ʻae tamai ʻaʻana ʻoku māʻoniʻoni: pea ko ia ʻoku ne maʻu ʻae tamasiʻi ʻoku poto ʻe fiefia ia ʻiate ia.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
ʻE fiefia ʻa hoʻo tamai mo hoʻo faʻē, pea ʻe fiefia ia naʻa ne fanauʻi koe.
26 My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
ʻE hoku foha, foaki mai ho loto, pea ke tokangaʻi ʻe ho mata ʻa hoku ngaahi hala.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
He ʻoku tatau mo e luo taumamaʻo ʻae fefine faʻa feʻauaki; pea ko e fefine anga kehe ʻoku tatau mo e luo ʻapiʻapi.
28 Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
ʻOku ne toi foki ʻo hangē ha kaihaʻa, pea ʻoku ne fakatokolahi ʻae kau angahala ʻi he kakai.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Ko hai ia ʻoku malaʻia? Ko hai ia ʻoku mamahi? Ko hai ia ʻoku ʻi he feʻiteʻitani? Ko hai ʻoku papūnoa? Ko hai ʻoku lavea noa pe? Ko hai ʻoku kulokula hono mata?
30 Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
Ko kinautolu ʻoku nofo fuoloa ke inu ke konā; ʻakinautolu ʻoku ʻalu ke kumi ʻae uaine kuo felingiʻaki.
31 Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
ʻOua naʻa ke sio ki he uaine ʻi heʻene kulokula, ʻi heʻene tuku hono lanu ʻi he ipu, pea ʻoku mālie hono inu.
32 In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
Koeʻuhi ʻe uʻu ia ʻamui ʻo hangē ha ngata, pea huhu foki ʻo hangē ko e ngata kona.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
ʻE sio ho mata ki he kau fefine anga kehe, pea ʻe fakahā mei ho loto ʻae ngaahi meʻa fakafufū.
34 Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:
ʻIo, te ke hangē ha taha ʻoku tokoto hifo ʻi loto tahi, pe ha taha ʻoku mohe ʻi ha funga fanā.
35 “They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”
Te ke pehē ʻe koe, “Kuo nau taaʻi au, ka ʻoku ʻikai te u mamahi; pea kuo nau haha au, ka ʻoku ʻikai te u ongoʻi ia: te u ʻā ʻafē? Te u toe kumi pe ki ai.”
