Lea Fakatātā 31
1 Ko e ngaahi lea ʻae tuʻi ko Limueli, ko e tala naʻe akonaki ʻaki ia ʻe heʻene faʻē.
My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.
2 “Ko e hā, ʻeku tama? Pea ko e hā, ʻae tama ʻo hoku manāva? Pea ko e hā, ʻae tama ʻa ʻeku ngaahi fuakava?
What wilt thou keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to thee: what? son of my womb? what? son of my vows?
3 ʻOua naʻa tuku ho mālohi ki he kakai fefine, pe ko ho ngaahi hala ki he meʻa ʻoku ʻauha ai ʻae ngaahi tuʻi.
Give not thy wealth to women, nor thy mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.
4 ʻOku ʻikai taau mo e ngaahi tuʻi, ʻE Limueli, ʻoku ʻikai taau mo e ngaahi tuʻi ke faʻa inu kava pe ke inu ʻe he houʻeiki ʻae kava kona.
Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:
5 Telia naʻa nau inu, pea ngalo ai ʻae fono, pea taʻetotonu ai ʻae fakamaau, ki he kakai ʻoku mamahi.
lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.
6 ʻAtu ʻae kava mālohi kiate ia ʻoku meimei mate, mo e uaine kiate kinautolu ʻoku māfasia honau loto.
Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain:
7 Tuku ke ne inu ke ngalo ai ʻene masiva, pea ʻoua naʻa toe manatu ki heʻene mamahi.
that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.
8 Ke matoʻo ho ngutu koeʻuhi ko e noa, ʻi he meʻa ʻanautolu kotoa pē kuo fakamaau ki he mate.
Open thy mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.
9 Matoʻo ho ngutu, pea ke fakamaau māʻoniʻoni, pea ke langomakiʻi ʻae masiva, pea mo e paea ʻi heʻene meʻa.”
Open thy mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.
10 Ko hai ʻoku faʻa maʻu ʻae fefine fai lelei? He ʻoku maʻongoʻonga ia ʻi he ngaahi maka koloa.
Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.
11 ʻOku falala fakamoʻomoʻoni kiate ia ʻae loto ʻo hono husepāniti, pea ʻe ʻikai ʻaonga kiate ia ha meʻa ʻoku maʻu ʻi he fakamālohi.
The heart of her husband trusts in her: such a one shall stand in no need of fine spoils.
12 ʻE fai lelei ia kiate ia, ka ʻe ʻikai ha kovi ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē ʻo ʻene moʻui:
For she employs all her living for her husband's good.
13 ʻOku ne kumi ʻae fulufuluʻi sipi, mo e louʻakau, ʻo ne ngāue fiefia ʻaki ʻa hono nima.
Gathering wool and flax, she makes it serviceable with her hands.
14 ʻOku ne hangē ko e ngaahi vaka ʻoe kau fakatau, he ʻoku ne ʻomi ʻene meʻakai mei he mamaʻo.
She is like a ship trading from a distance: so she procures her livelihood.
15 ʻOku ne tuʻu hake foki ʻi he kei poʻuli, ʻo ne tufaki ʻae meʻakai ki heʻene kau nofoʻanga, mo e ʻinasi ʻo ʻene kau kaunanga.
And she rises by night, and gives food to her household, and [appointed] tasks to her maidens.
16 ʻOku ne manako ki ha ngoue, pea ne fakatau ia: pea ʻoku ne tō ʻae ngoue vaine mei he fua ʻo hono nima.
She views a farm, and buys it: and with the fruit of her hands she plants and a possession.
17 ʻOku nonoʻo ʻaki ʻae mālohi ʻa hono kongaloto, ʻoku ne fakamālohi hono nima.
She strongly girds her loins, and strengthens her arms for work.
18 ʻOku ne ʻilo ʻoku lelei ʻae meʻa ʻoku ne fakatauʻaki: ʻoku ʻikai ke mate ʻene maama ʻi he pō.
And she finds by experience that working is good; and her candle goes not out all night.
19 ʻOku ne ai hono nima ki he meʻa ʻoku fīʻaki ʻae filo, pea ʻoku puke ʻi hono nima ʻae ʻaiʻanga filo.
She reaches forth her arms to needful [works], and applies her hands to the spindle.
20 ʻOku mafao atu hono nima ki he masiva, ʻio, ʻoku mafao atu hono nima kiate kinautolu ʻoku paea.
And she opens her hands to the needy, and reaches out fruit to the poor.
21 ʻOku ʻikai manavahē ia ki he tō mai ʻae ʻuha hinehina ki heʻene kau nofoʻanga: he ʻoku lōua ʻae kofu ʻo ʻene kau nofoʻanga kotoa pē.
Her husband is not anxious about those at home when he tarries anywhere abroad: for all her household are clothed.
22 ʻOku ne ngaohi kiate ia ʻae ngaahi kofuʻaki ʻae tupenu kuo tuitui fakasanisani: ko hono ngaahi kofu ko e silika mo e meʻa kulaʻahoʻaho.
She makes for her husband clothes of double texture, and garments for herself of fine linen and scarlet.
23 ʻOku ongoongoa hono husepāniti ʻi he ngaahi matapā, ʻoka nofo hifo ia mo e kau mātuʻa ʻoe fonua.
And her husband becomes a distinguished [person] in the gates, when he sits in council with the old inhabitants of the land.
24 ʻOku ngaohi ʻe ia ʻae tupenu tuʻovalevale lelei, ʻo ne fakatauʻaki: pea ʻoku ʻatu ʻa hono ngaahi noʻo ki he kau fakatau.
She makes fine linens, and sells girdles to the Chananites: she opens her mouth heedfully and with propriety, and controls her tongue.
25 Ko hono kofu ko e mālohi mo e ongoongolelei; pea ʻe fiefia ia ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho kimui.
She puts on strength and honour; and rejoices in the last days.
26 ʻOku matoʻo hono ngutu ʻi he poto; pea ʻoku ʻi hono ʻelelo ʻae fono ʻoe ʻofa.
But she opens her mouth wisely, and according to law.
27 ʻOku ne tokanga lahi ki he anga ʻo hono fale, pea ʻoku ʻikai ke kai ʻe ia ʻae mā ʻae fakapikopiko.
The ways of her household are careful, and she eats not the bread of idleness.
28 ʻOku tupu hake ʻene fānau, ʻonau ui ia ko e monūʻia; pea ʻoku fakaongoongoleleiʻi ia ʻe hono husepāniti foki.
And [her] kindness to them sets up her children for them, and they grow rich, and her husband praises her.
29 “Kuo fai lelei ʻe he kau ʻofefine tokolahi, ka ʻoku ke lelei hake koe ʻiate kinautolu kotoa pē.”
Many daughters have obtained wealth, many have wrought valiantly; but thou hast exceeded, thou hast surpassed all.
30 Ko e meʻa kākā ʻae matamatalelei, pea ko e vaʻinga ʻae hoihoifua: ka ko e fefine ʻoku manavahē kia Sihova ʻe fakaongoongoleleiʻi ia.
Charms are false, and woman's beauty is vain: for it is a wise woman that is blessed, and let her praise the fear the Lord.
31 Foaki kiate ia mei he fua ʻo hono nima: pea tuku pe ke fakaongoongoleleiʻi ia ʻi he ngaahi matapā ʻe heʻene ngaahi ngāue ʻaʻana.
Give her of the fruit of her lips; and let her husband be praised in the gates.
