Lea Fakatātā 31
1 Ko e ngaahi lea ʻae tuʻi ko Limueli, ko e tala naʻe akonaki ʻaki ia ʻe heʻene faʻē.
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
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?
You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
3 ʻOua naʻa tuku ho mālohi ki he kakai fefine, pe ko ho ngaahi hala ki he meʻa ʻoku ʻauha ai ʻae ngaahi tuʻi.
Do not exhaust your energy [having sex] [EUP] with women [to whom you are not married], with women who ruin kings [by having sex with them].
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.
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 Telia naʻa nau inu, pea ngalo ai ʻae fono, pea taʻetotonu ai ʻae fakamaau, ki he kakai ʻoku mamahi.
If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
6 ʻAtu ʻae kava mālohi kiate ia ʻoku meimei mate, mo e uaine kiate kinautolu ʻoku māfasia honau loto.
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 Tuku ke ne inu ke ngalo ai ʻene masiva, pea ʻoua naʻa toe manatu ki heʻene mamahi.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 Ke matoʻo ho ngutu koeʻuhi ko e noa, ʻi he meʻa ʻanautolu kotoa pē kuo fakamaau ki he mate.
Speak [MTY] to defend people who are unable to defend themselves; speak to encourage others to do what is right for those who are helpless.
9 Matoʻo ho ngutu, pea ke fakamaau māʻoniʻoni, pea ke langomakiʻi ʻae masiva, pea mo e paea ʻi heʻene meʻa.”
Speak [MTY] (on their behalf/to help them) and try to cause judges to decide matters fairly/justly; try to cause others to do for poor and needy [people] what should be done for them.
10 Ko hai ʻoku faʻa maʻu ʻae fefine fai lelei? He ʻoku maʻongoʻonga ia ʻi he ngaahi maka koloa.
It is very difficult [for a man] to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable [of doing many things]. [Any woman who is like that] is worth more than jewels.
11 ʻOku falala fakamoʻomoʻoni kiate ia ʻae loto ʻo hono husepāniti, pea ʻe ʻikai ʻaonga kiate ia ha meʻa ʻoku maʻu ʻi he fakamālohi.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 ʻE fai lelei ia kiate ia, ka ʻe ʻikai ha kovi ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē ʻo ʻene moʻui:
She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
13 ʻOku ne kumi ʻae fulufuluʻi sipi, mo e louʻakau, ʻo ne ngāue fiefia ʻaki ʻa hono nima.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 ʻOku ne hangē ko e ngaahi vaka ʻoe kau fakatau, he ʻoku ne ʻomi ʻene meʻakai mei he mamaʻo.
She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
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.
She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family. [Then] she plans the work that her servant girls will do on that day.
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 [goes out and] looks at a field [that someone wants to sell]; and [if it is a good field], she buys it. She [buys] grapevines [MTY] with the money that she has earned, [and then] she plants them.
17 ʻOku nonoʻo ʻaki ʻae mālohi ʻa hono kongaloto, ʻoku ne fakamālohi hono nima.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 ʻOku ne ʻilo ʻoku lelei ʻae meʻa ʻoku ne fakatauʻaki: ʻoku ʻikai ke mate ʻene maama ʻi he pō.
She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business. [When it is necessary], she works [MTY] until it is late at night.
19 ʻOku ne ai hono nima ki he meʻa ʻoku fīʻaki ʻae filo, pea ʻoku puke ʻi hono nima ʻae ʻaiʻanga filo.
She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
20 ʻOku mafao atu hono nima ki he masiva, ʻio, ʻoku mafao atu hono nima kiate kinautolu ʻoku paea.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
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.
She is not worried that [the people in her house will be cold in] the winter, because [she has made] warm clothes for all of them.
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 bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 ʻOku ongoongoa hono husepāniti ʻi he ngaahi matapā, ʻoka nofo hifo ia mo e kau mātuʻa ʻoe fonua.
Her husband is [well] known by the important people of the town; he sits with the [other] town leaders in the meetings of the town council.
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 clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 Ko hono kofu ko e mālohi mo e ongoongolelei; pea ʻe fiefia ia ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho kimui.
She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
26 ʻOku matoʻo hono ngutu ʻi he poto; pea ʻoku ʻi hono ʻelelo ʻae fono ʻoe ʻofa.
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
27 ʻOku ne tokanga lahi ki he anga ʻo hono fale, pea ʻoku ʻikai ke kai ʻe ia ʻae mā ʻae fakapikopiko.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 ʻOku tupu hake ʻene fānau, ʻonau ui ia ko e monūʻia; pea ʻoku fakaongoongoleleiʻi ia ʻe hono husepāniti foki.
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 “Kuo fai lelei ʻe he kau ʻofefine tokolahi, ka ʻoku ke lelei hake koe ʻiate kinautolu kotoa pē.”
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them 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.
Some women who are attractive [are not really good women], [but] they can deceive us [regarding what they are really like]. Furthermore, women’s beauty does not last; but women who revere Yahweh should be honored.
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.
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
