Lea Fakatātā 18
1 Ko e meʻa ʻi he holi ki ai ʻae tangata, ʻoku ne vaheʻi ia ke ne kumi mo kau ʻi he poto kotoa pē.
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 ʻOku ʻikai fiefia ʻae vale ʻi he ʻilo, ka koeʻuhi ke fakahā ʻaki ia hono loto.
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may reveal itself.
3 ʻOka hoko mai ʻae angahala ʻoku haʻu mo ia ʻae manukia, pea mo e ongoongo kovi mo e valokia.
When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 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.
The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the well-spring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.
5 ʻOku ʻikai lelei ia ke fili ki he tangata ʻoku angahala, kae fakahinga ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni ʻi he fakamaau.
[It is] not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 ʻOku kau ʻae loungutu ʻoe vale ʻi he kē, pea ʻoku ui mai hono ngutu ke taaʻi ia.
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 Ko e ʻauhaʻanga ʻoe vale ʻa hono ngutu, pea ko e tauhele ki hono laumālie ʻa hono loungutu.
A fool's mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 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.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 Ko ia ʻoku fakapikopiko ʻi heʻene ngāue, ko e tokoua ia ʻoʻona ʻoku faʻa maumau meʻa.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 Ko e fale māʻolunga mo mālohi ʻae huafa ʻo Sihova: ʻoku hola ki ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni, ʻo ne moʻui ai.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 Ko e kolo mālohi ʻae tangata koloaʻia ko ʻene koloa, pea ʻoku tatau ia ʻi heʻene mahalo ʻaʻana mo e fuʻu ʻā māʻolunga.
The rich man's wealth [is] his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit.
12 ʻOku muʻomuʻa ʻi he fakaʻauha ʻae fielahi ʻi he loto ʻae tangata, pea ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻae angavaivai ʻi he hakeakiʻi.
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor [is] humility.
13 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;
He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame to him.
14 ʻE faʻa kātakiʻi ʻe he laumālie ʻoe tangata haʻane vaivai; ka ko hai ʻoku faʻa kātakiʻi ʻae laumālie kuo lavea?
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 ʻOku maʻu ʻe he loto ʻoe fakamākukanga ʻae poto: pea ʻoku kumi ki he ʻilo ʻe he telinga ʻoe poto.
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 ʻOku fakaʻataʻatā ʻae hala ʻoe tangata ʻoku faʻa foaki, pea ʻoku ʻomi ai ia ki he ʻao ʻoe houʻeiki.
A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17 Ko ia ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻi heʻene meʻa ʻaʻana ʻoku matamata totonu: ka ʻi he haʻu ʻa hono kaungāʻapi ʻoku ne ʻahiʻahiʻi ia.
[He that is] first in his own cause [seemeth] just; but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.
18 ʻOku fakangatangata ʻi he fai ʻoe talotalo ʻae fakakikihi, ʻo ne vahevahe ki he kakai mālohi.
The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19 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.
A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city: and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a castle.
20 ʻE fakamākona ʻae kete ʻoe tangata ʻaki ʻae fua ʻo hono ngutu: pea ʻe fakafonu ia ʻaki ʻaia ʻoku tupu mei hono loungutu.
A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21 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.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit of it.
22 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.
[Whoever] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favor from the LORD.
23 ʻOku fakakolekole ʻe he masiva; ka ʻoku tali fakamālohi ʻe he koloaʻia.
The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 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.
A man [that hath] friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.
