Lea Fakatātā 17
1 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.
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of feasting [with] strife.
2 ʻE pule ʻae tamaioʻeiki ʻoku poto ki he foha ʻoku fai fakamā; pea ʻe maʻu ʻe ia ha tofiʻa fakataha mo e fānau.
A wise servant shall rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.
3 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.
The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but Jehovah trieth the hearts.
4 ʻOku tokanga ʻae tangata fai kovi ki he loungutu ʻoku loi; pea ʻoku tokanga ʻe ia ʻoku loi ki he ʻelelo ʻoku kovi.
The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips; the liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 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.
Whoso mocketh a poor [man] reproacheth his Maker; he that is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent.
6 Ko e fānau ʻae fānau ko e tatā ia ʻoe kau mātuʻa: pea ko e lelei ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻenau ngaahi tamai.
Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7 ʻOku ʻikai ngali mo e vale ʻae lea lelei: pea ʻoku taʻengali ʻaupito mo ha ʻeiki ʻae loungutu ʻoku loi.
Excellent speech becometh not a vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!
8 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.
A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the possessor: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.
9 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.
He that covereth transgression seeketh love; but he that bringeth a matter up again separateth very friends.
10 ʻOku ongongofua ʻae valoki ki he loto ʻoe tangata poto ʻi he kauʻimaea ke liunga teau ki he vale.
A reproof entereth more deeply into him that hath understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 ʻOku fie talangataʻa pe ʻae tangata angakovi; pea ko ia ʻe fekau atu ai kiate ia ha taha ʻoku angamālohi.
An evil [man] seeketh only rebellion; but a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 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.
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Ko ia ʻoku ne totongi ʻaki ʻae kovi ki he lelei, ʻe ʻikai mavahe ʻae kovi mei hono fale.
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 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.
The beginning of contention is [as] when one letteth out water; therefore leave off strife before it become vehement.
15 ʻOku fakatou fakalielia kia Sihova ʻaia ʻoku ne fakatonuhiaʻi ʻae halaia, mo ia ʻoku ne talatalaakiʻi ʻae māʻoniʻoni.
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are abomination to Jehovah.
16 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?
To what purpose is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he] hath no sense?
17 ʻOku ʻofa maʻuaipē ʻae kāinga moʻoni, pea kuo fanauʻi ho tokoua ke talifaki ʻae ʻaho ʻoe kovi.
The friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 Ko e tangata ʻoku masiva poto, ʻoku puke ʻe ia ʻae nima, ʻo ne fai ʻae fakamoʻoni totongi ʻi he ʻao ʻo hono kāinga.
A senseless man striketh hands, becoming surety for his neighbour.
19 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.
He loveth transgression that loveth a quarrel; he that maketh high his gate seeketh destruction.
20 ʻOku ʻikai ʻilo ha lelei siʻi ʻe ia ʻoku loto talangataʻa: pea ʻoku tō hifo ki he kovi ʻaia ʻoku maʻu ʻae ʻelelo kovi.
He that hath a perverse heart findeth no good; and he that shifteth about with his tongue falleth into evil.
21 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.
He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow, and the father of a vile [man] hath no joy.
22 ʻOku tupu ʻae lelei ʻo hangē ha faitoʻo mei he loto ʻoku fiefia: ka ʻoku fakamōmoa ʻae hui ʻe he laumālie kuo mafesi.
A joyful heart promoteth healing; but a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
23 ʻOku toʻo mai ʻe he angakovi ha meʻa foaki mei he fatafata, ke ne taki kehe ʻae hala ʻoe fakamaau.
A wicked [man] taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of judgment.
24 ʻOku ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tangata ʻoku faʻa fakakaukau ʻae poto: ka ʻoku ʻi he ngaahi ngataʻanga ʻo māmani ʻae mata ʻoe vale.
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25 Ko e foha ʻoku vale ko e fakamamahi ia ki heʻene tamai, mo e ongosia kiate ia naʻe fāʻeleʻi ia.
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
26 ʻOku ʻikai lelei ke tautea ʻae angatonu: pe ko e taaʻi ʻoe houʻeiki ʻi heʻenau fai totonu.
To punish a righteous [man] is not good, nor to strike nobles because of [their] uprightness.
27 Ko ia ʻoku ne maʻu ʻae poto ʻoku ne taʻofi ki heʻene lea: pea ʻoku loto lelei ʻae tangata ko ia ʻoku faʻa fakakaukau.
He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and a man of understanding is of a cool spirit.
28 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.
Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is reckoned wise, [and] he that shutteth his lips, intelligent.
