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 [are] also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
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] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 Ko e langi ʻi hono māʻolunga, mo e māmani ʻi hono taumamaʻo, mo e loto ʻoe ngaahi tuʻi, ʻoku taʻefaʻaʻiloʻi.
The heaven for hight, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] 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 dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Ke ʻave ʻae angahala mei he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻe fokotuʻumaʻu ai hono nofoʻa fakaʻeiʻeiki ʻi he māʻoniʻoni.
Take away the wicked [from] before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 ʻOua naʻa ke hiki hake koe ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea ʻoua naʻa ke tuʻu ʻi he potu ʻoe kakai māʻolunga.
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great [men]:
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 better [it is] that it be said to thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy eyes have seen.
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.
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
9 Ke mo fai toko ua pe hoʻo mo fakakikihi mo ho kaungāʻapi; pea ʻoua naʻa fakahā ha tala fakalilolilo ki ha taha kehe:
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor [himself]; and reveal not a secret to another:
10 Telia naʻa fakamaaʻi koe ʻe ia ʻoku fanongo ki ai, pea ʻikai toe foki meiate koe ho ongoongo kovi.
Lest he that heareth [it] put thee to shame, and thy infamy turn not away.
11 Ko e lea ʻoku ngali mo totonu hono leaʻaki, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ʻapele koula ʻi ha ipu siliva.
A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures 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.
[As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [so is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
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.
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, [so is] a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 Ko ia ia ʻoku polepole ʻi ha foaki loi, ʻoku hangē ia ko e ngaahi ʻao mo e matangi taʻehanoʻuha.
Whoever boasteth himself of a false gift [is like] clouds and wind without rain.
15 ʻOku fakalotoʻi ʻae tuʻi ʻi he fai fakakukafi, pea ʻoku fesiʻi ʻae hui ʻe he ʻelelo molū.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Kuo ke ʻilo ha honi? Kai ai koe ke mākona lelei pe, telia naʻa ke fatufāʻia ai, pea lua ʻaki.
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled with it, and 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 thy foot from thy neighbor's house; lest he be weary of thee, and [so] hate thee.
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 that beareth false witness against his neighbor [is] a maul, 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.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
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.
[As] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre; so [is] he that singeth songs to a heavy 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 thy enemy shall hunger, give him bread to eat; and if he shall thirst, 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 thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward thee.
23 ʻOku tupu ʻae ʻuha mei he matangi tokelau; ʻoku pehē foki ʻoku tupu ʻae matalili mei he ʻelelo ʻoe fakakovi.
The north wind driveth away rain: so [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting 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 dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 ʻOku hangē ko e vai momoko kiate ia ʻoku fieinua, ʻoku pehē ʻae ongoongolelei mei he fonua mamaʻo.
[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, so [is] good news from a far country.
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.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked [is as] a turbid fountain, and a corrupt 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.
[It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] 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.
He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.
