Lea Fakatātā 21
1 ʻOku ʻi he nima ʻo Sihova ʻae loto ʻoe tuʻi, ʻo hangē ko e vai ʻoe ngaahi vaitafe: he ʻoku ne fefakatafoki ʻaki ia ko ʻene faʻiteliha ʻaʻana.
[Like] channels of water, is the heart of a king, in the hand of Yahweh, —whithersoever he will, he turneth it.
2 ʻOku matamata totonu ʻae hala kotoa pē ʻoe tangata ki hono mata ʻoʻona: ka ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻe Sihova ʻae loto.
Every way of a man, may be right in his own eyes, but, he that testeth hearts, is Yahweh.
3 Ko e fai totonu mo e fakamaau, ʻoku lelei hake ia kia Sihova ʻi he feilaulau.
To do righteousness and justice, is more choice to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 Ko e mata ʻoku fieʻeiki, mo e loto fielahi, pea mo e keli ʻae kakai angakovi, ko e angahala ia.
Loftiness of eyes, and ambition of heart—the lamp of the lawless, are sin.
5 ʻOku tupu ʻae mahu ʻi he fakakaukau ʻae faʻa ngāue; ka ko e masiva pe kiate ia ʻoku fai fakavavevave noa pe.
The plans of the diligent, tend only to abundance, but, of every one that is urgent, only to want.
6 Ko e maʻu ʻae koloa lahi ʻaki ʻae ʻelelo loi, ko e vaʻinga ia ʻoku vilingia fano ʻiate kinautolu ʻoku kumi ki he mate.
The gaining of treasures with a tongue of falsehood, is a vapour driven away, [they who seek them] seek death,
7 Ko e kaihaʻa ʻae kakai angakovi ʻe ʻauha ai ʻakinautolu; koeʻuhi ʻoku ʻikai te nau loto ki he fai totonu.
The violence of the lawless, shall drag them away, —because they have refused to do justice.
8 ʻOku pikopiko mo ʻalu kehe ʻae hala ʻoe tangata: ka ʻoku totonu ʻae ngāue ʻaʻana ʻoku loto maʻa.
Crooked is the way of a guilty man, but, as for the pure, straight is his dealing.
9 ʻOku lelei hake ʻae nofo ki he tuliki ʻi ha tuʻafale, ʻi he nofo ʻi loto fale mo ha fefine ʻoku faʻa kē.
Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
10 ʻOku holi ki he kovi ʻae laumālie ʻoe angahala: pea ʻoku ʻikai maʻu ha lelei ʻe hono kaungāʻapi ʻi hono ʻao.
The soul of the lawless man, craveth mischief, his own friend, findeth no favour in his eyes.
11 ʻOka tautea ʻaia ʻoku faʻa manuki, ʻe poto ai ʻae vale: pea ka akonekina ʻae poto, ʻoku ne maʻu ai ʻae ʻilo.
When the scoffer is punished, the simple, becometh wise, when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12 ʻOku fakakaukau poto ʻae tangata māʻoniʻoni ki he fale ʻoe angahala: pea ʻoku lī ki lalo ʻae angahala ʻe he ʻOtua koeʻuhi ko ʻene angahala.
The Righteous One observeth the house of the lawless, —He is ready to cast down lawless men into misfortune.
13 Ko ia ʻe tāpuni hono telinga ki he tangi ʻae masiva ʻe tangi foki ia, ka ʻe ʻikai ongoʻi ʻe ha taha.
He that shutteth his ear from the cry of the poor, even he, shall call, and not be answered.
14 ʻOku lolomi ʻae ʻita ʻoka ʻatu fufū ha meʻa foaki: pea ʻoku taʻofi ʻe he totongi fufū ʻae houhau lahi.
A gift in secret, quencheth anger, and, a present in the bosom, mighty wrath.
15 Ko e fakamaau ko e fiefiaʻanga ia ʻoe māʻoniʻoni: ka ʻe hoko ʻae fakaʻauha ki he fai kovi.
It is a joy, to a righteous man, to do justice, but, dismay, to the workers of iniquity.
16 ʻE nofomaʻu ʻi he fakatahaʻanga ʻoe kakai mate, ʻae tangata ko ia ʻoku hē mei he hala ʻoe poto.
The man who wandereth from the way of discretion, in the gathered host of the shades, shall settle down.
17 Ko ia ʻoku manako ki he vaʻinga ʻe hoko ia ko e tangata masiva: ʻe ʻikai koloaʻia ia ʻaia ʻoku manako ki he kava mo e lolo.
A needy man, shall he be that loveth merriment, the lover of wine and oil, shall not become rich.
18 ʻE fetongi ʻe he angahala ʻae māʻoniʻoni, pea mo ia ʻoku fai kovi ʻae angatonu.
A ransom for the righteous, is the lawless, and, instead of upright men, the traitor.
19 ʻOku lelei hake ʻae nofo ʻi he toafa, ʻi he nonofo mo ha fefine faʻa kē mo faʻa ʻita.
Better to dwell in a desert land, than with a woman, quarrelsome and provoking.
20 ʻOku ai ʻae koloa ke manako ki ai, pea mo e lolo ʻi he fale ʻoe poto; ka ʻoku fakaʻosi noa pe ia ʻe he tangata vale.
Desirable treasure and oil, are in the home of the wise, but, a man who is a dullard, will destroy it.
21 Ko ia ʻoku tulituli pau ki he māʻoniʻoni mo e ʻaloʻofa te ne maʻu ʻae moʻui, mo e māʻoniʻoni, pea mo e ongolelei.
He that pursueth righteousness and lovingkindness, shall find life, righteousness and honour.
22 ʻOku kaka ʻe he tangata poto ʻae ʻā ʻoe kolo ʻae mālohi, ʻo ne maumauʻi hono mālohi mo ene viki.
A city of heroes, doth a wise man scale, and bringeth down the strength of its confidence.
23 Ko ia ʻoku tauhi hono ngutu mo hono ʻelelo, ʻoku fakahaofi ʻe ia hono laumālie mei he ngaahi mamahi.
He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth, out of distresses, his soul.
24 Ko fielahi mo manuki fieʻeiki, ko e hingoa ia ʻoʻona ʻoku faʻa ʻita ʻi he laukau.
A haughty insolent one—Scoffer is his name, is he that acteth in a transport of pride.
25 Ko e holi ʻae fakapikopiko ʻe mate ai ia; he ʻoku fakafisi hono nima ki he ngāue.
The craving of the sluggard, killeth him, for his hands have refused to work.
26 ʻOku manumanu ʻaupito ia ʻi he ʻaho ʻo poʻuli: ka ʻoku faʻa foaki ʻae māʻoniʻoni ʻo ʻikai te ne faʻa taʻofia ia.
All the day, he greatly craveth, whereas, the righteous, giveth, and doth not spare.
27 Ko e meʻa fakalielia ʻae feilaulau ʻae angahala: kae huanoa ʻi hono ʻomi ia mo e loto kovi!
The sacrifice of the lawless, is an abomination, how much more, when, with wickedness, he bringeth it in!
28 ʻE ʻauha ʻae fakamoʻoni loi: ka ko e tangata ʻoku faʻa fakafanongo ʻoku lea maau ia.
A false witness, shall perish, but, the man who hearkeneth, with abiding effect, shall speak.
29 ʻOku fakafefeka ʻe he tangata angakovi ʻa hono mata: ka ʻoku fakakaukau ʻe he angatonu ki hono hala.
A lawless man emboldeneth his face, but, as for the upright, he, directeth his ways.
30 ʻOku ʻikai ha poto pe ha fakakaukau, pe ha tuʻutuʻuni ʻe faʻa tuʻu kia Sihova.
There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, to confront Yahweh.
31 ʻOku teuteu ʻae hoosi ki he ʻaho ʻoe tau: ka ʻoku meia Sihova ʻae faʻa ikuna.
The horse, is prepared for the day of battle, but, to Yahweh, pertaineth the victory.
