Proverbs 25
1 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
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 honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
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 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
Ko e langi ʻi hono māʻolunga, mo e māmani ʻi hono taumamaʻo, mo e loto ʻoe ngaahi tuʻi, ʻoku taʻefaʻaʻiloʻi.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
Ke toʻo atu ʻae ʻuli mei he siliva, pea ʻe ngaohi mei ai ha ipu ʻe ia ʻoku ne fakamaʻa siliva.
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
Ke ʻave ʻae angahala mei he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻe fokotuʻumaʻu ai hono nofoʻa fakaʻeiʻeiki ʻi he māʻoniʻoni.
6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
ʻOua naʻa ke hiki hake koe ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻoua naʻa ke tuʻu ʻi he potu ʻoe kakai māʻolunga.
7 For better [that] he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine 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 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
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 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal 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 the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
Telia naʻa fakamaaʻi koe ʻe ia ʻoku fanongo ki ai, pea ʻikai toe foki meiate koe ho ongoongo kovi.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
Ko e lea ʻoku ngali mo totonu hono leaʻaki, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ʻapele koula ʻi ha ipu siliva.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive 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 vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
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 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
Ko ia ia ʻoku polepole ʻi ha foaki loi, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ngaahi ʻao mo e matangi taʻehanoʻuha.
15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
ʻOku fakalotoʻi ʻae tuʻi ʻi he fai fakakukafi, pea ʻoku fesiʻi ʻae hui ʻe he ʻelelo molū.
16 Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
Kuo ke ʻilo ha honi? Kai ai koe ke mākona lelei pe, telia naʻa ke fatufāʻia ai, pea lua ʻaki.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
Ke taʻofi ho vaʻe mei he fale ʻo ho kaungāʻapi; telia naʻa fiu ia ʻiate koe, pea fehiʻa ai kiate koe.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
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 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
Ko e falala ʻi he tuʻutāmaki ki ha tangata taʻeangatonu, ʻoku hangē ia ko e nifo popo, pe ko e vaʻe kuo tapeva.
20 Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad 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 he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
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 coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
He te ke hilifaki ai ʻae malalaʻi afi ki hono ʻulu, pea ʻe totongi lelei ʻe Sihova kiate koe.
23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
ʻOku tupu ʻae ʻuha mei he matangi tokelau; ʻoku pehē foki ʻoku tupu ʻae matalili mei he ʻelelo ʻoe fakakovi.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
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 waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
ʻOku hangē ko e vai momoko kiate ia ʻoku fieinua, ʻoku pehē ʻae ongoongolelei mei he fonua mamaʻo.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
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 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
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 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
Ko ia ia ʻoku ʻikai faʻa puleʻi hono laumālie ʻoʻona, ʻoku tatau ia mo e kolo kuo holoki hifo, pea ʻoku ʻikai hano ʻā.
