Lea Fakatātā 25
1 Ko eni foki ʻae ngaahi lea fakatātā ʻa Solomone, ʻaia naʻe hiki ʻe he kau tangata ʻa Hesekaia ko e tuʻi ʻo Siuta.
These, too, are parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transferred.
2 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.
It is to the glory of God to conceal a word, and it is to the glory of kings to investigate speech.
3 Ko e langi ʻi hono māʻolunga, mo e māmani ʻi hono taumamaʻo, mo e loto ʻoe ngaahi tuʻi, ʻoku taʻefaʻaʻiloʻi.
Heaven above, and earth below, and the heart of kings are each unsearchable.
4 Ke toʻo atu ʻae ʻuli mei he siliva, pea ʻe ngaohi mei ai ha ipu ʻe ia ʻoku ne fakamaʻa siliva.
Take away the tarnish from silver, and a most pure vessel will go forth.
5 Ke ʻave ʻae angahala mei he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻe fokotuʻumaʻu ai hono nofoʻa fakaʻeiʻeiki ʻi he māʻoniʻoni.
Take away impiety from the face of the king, and his throne shall be made firm by justice.
6 ʻOua naʻa ke hiki hake koe ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻoua naʻa ke tuʻu ʻi he potu ʻoe kakai māʻolunga.
Do not appear glorious before the king, and do not stand in the place of the great.
7 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.
For it is better that it should be said to you, “Ascend to here,” than that you should be humbled before the prince.
8 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.
The things that your eyes have seen, do not offer hastily in a quarrel, lest afterward you may not be able to make amends, when you have dishonored your friend.
9 Ke mo fai toko ua pe hoʻo mo fakakikihi mo ho kaungāʻapi; pea ʻoua naʻa fakahā ha tala fakalilolilo ki ha taha kehe:
Argue your case with your friend, and do not reveal the secret to an outsider,
10 Telia naʻa fakamaaʻi koe ʻe ia ʻoku fanongo ki ai, pea ʻikai toe foki meiate koe ho ongoongo kovi.
lest perhaps he may insult you, when he has heard it, and he might not cease to reproach you. Grace and friendship free a man; preserve these for yourself, lest you fall under reproach.
11 Ko e lea ʻoku ngali mo totonu hono leaʻaki, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ʻapele koula ʻi ha ipu siliva.
Whoever speaks a word at an opportune time is like apples of gold on beds of silver.
12 ʻO hangē ko e hau koula mo e teunga ʻoe koula lelei, ʻoku pehē ia ʻaia ʻoku valoki fakapotopoto kiate ia ʻoku telinga ongo.
Whoever reproves the wise and obedient ear is like an earring of gold with a shining pearl.
13 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.
Just like the cold of snow in a time of harvest, so also is a faithful messenger to him who sent him: he causes his soul to rest.
14 Ko ia ia ʻoku polepole ʻi ha foaki loi, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ngaahi ʻao mo e matangi taʻehanoʻuha.
A man who boasts and does not fulfill his promises is like clouds and wind, when rain does not follow.
15 ʻOku fakalotoʻi ʻae tuʻi ʻi he fai fakakukafi, pea ʻoku fesiʻi ʻae hui ʻe he ʻelelo molū.
By patience, a leader shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
16 Kuo ke ʻilo ha honi? Kai ai koe ke mākona lelei pe, telia naʻa ke fatufāʻia ai, pea lua ʻaki.
You have discovered honey; eat what is sufficient for you, lest perhaps, being filled up, you may vomit it.
17 Ke taʻofi ho vaʻe mei he fale ʻo ho kaungāʻapi; telia naʻa fiu ia ʻiate koe, pea fehiʻa ai kiate koe.
Withdraw your feet from the house of your neighbor, lest, when he has had his fill, he may hate you.
18 Ko e tangata ʻoku fakamoʻoni loi ki hono kaungāʻapi, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ʻakau fakapō, mo e heletā, pea mo e ngahau māsila.
A man who speaks false testimony against his neighbor is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 Ko e falala ʻi he tuʻutāmaki ki ha tangata taʻeangatonu, ʻoku hangē ia ko e nifo popo, pe ko e vaʻe kuo tapeva.
Whoever sets his hopes on the unfaithful in a day of anguish is like a rotten tooth and weary foot,
20 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.
and like one who loosens his garment in cold weather. Whoever sings verses to a wicked heart is like vinegar on baking soda. Just like a moth to a garment, and a worm to wood, so too does the sadness of a man do harm to the heart.
21 Kapau ʻoku fiekaia ho fili, foaki ki ai ʻae mā ke ne kai; pea kapau ʻoku fieinua, foaki kiate ia ʻae vai ke inu:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 He te ke hilifaki ai ʻae malalaʻi afi ki hono ʻulu, pea ʻe totongi lelei ʻe Sihova kiate koe.
For you will gather hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will repay you.
23 ʻOku tupu ʻae ʻuha mei he matangi tokelau; ʻoku pehē foki ʻoku tupu ʻae matalili mei he ʻelelo ʻoe fakakovi.
The north wind brings forth the rain, and a sorrowful face brings forth a detracting tongue.
24 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.
It is better to sit in a corner of the attic, than with an argumentative woman and in a shared house.
25 ʻOku hangē ko e vai momoko kiate ia ʻoku fieinua, ʻoku pehē ʻae ongoongolelei mei he fonua mamaʻo.
Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so too are good reports from a far away land.
26 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.
The just falling down before the impious is like a fountain stirred up by feet and like a corrupted spring.
27 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.
Just as whoever eats too much honey, it is not good for him, so also whoever is an investigator of what is majestic will be overwhelmed by glory.
28 Ko ia ia ʻoku ʻikai faʻa puleʻi hono laumālie ʻoʻona, ʻoku tatau ia mo e kolo kuo holoki hifo, pea ʻoku ʻikai hano ʻā.
Just like a city lying in the open and without surrounding walls, so also is a man who is unable to restrain his own spirit in speaking.
