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.
A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
2 ʻOku ʻikai fiefia ʻae vale ʻi he ʻilo, ka koeʻuhi ke fakahā ʻaki ia hono loto.
A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
3 ʻOka hoko mai ʻae angahala ʻoku haʻu mo ia ʻae manukia, pea mo e ongoongo kovi mo e valokia.
When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.
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 like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
5 ʻOku ʻikai lelei ia ke fili ki he tangata ʻoku angahala, kae fakahinga ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni ʻi he fakamaau.
To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
6 ʻOku kau ʻae loungutu ʻoe vale ʻi he kē, pea ʻoku ui mai hono ngutu ke taaʻi ia.
A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
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 a snare to 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 gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
9 Ko ia ʻoku fakapikopiko ʻi heʻene ngāue, ko e tokoua ia ʻoʻona ʻoku faʻa maumau meʻa.
One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
10 Ko e fale māʻolunga mo mālohi ʻae huafa ʻo Sihova: ʻoku hola ki ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni, ʻo ne moʻui ai.
The LORD’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are 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, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
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 proud, but 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 who answers before he hears, that 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?
A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed 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 discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks 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 makes room for him, and brings 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 who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.
18 ʻOku fakangatangata ʻi he fai ʻoe talotalo ʻae fakakikihi, ʻo ne vahevahe ki he kakai mālohi.
The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
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 more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
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 stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
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; those who love it will eat its fruit.
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 finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD.
23 ʻOku fakakolekole ʻe he masiva; ka ʻoku tali fakamālohi ʻe he koloaʻia.
The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
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 of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
