Lea Fakatātā 6
1 ʻE hoku foha, kapau kuo ke hoko ko e fetongi ki ho kāinga, kapau kuo ke fekuku nima mo ha muli,
My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
2 Tā kuo tauheleʻi koe ʻaki ʻae ngaahi lea mei ho ngutu, kuo ke fihia koe ʻi he ngaahi lea ʻa ho ngutu.
You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
3 ʻE hoku foha, ke ke fai eni, koeʻuhi ke ke hao ʻoka ke ka tō ki he nima ʻo ho kāinga: ʻalu koe, ʻo fakavaivai koe, koeʻuhi ke ke lavaʻi ai ho kāinga.
Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.
4 ʻOua naʻa tuku ke mohe ho mata, pe tuku ke tulemohe ho laumata.
Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
5 Fakamoʻui koe ʻo hangē ko e kāseli mei he nima ʻoe tangata tuli manu, pea hangē ko e manupuna mei he nima ʻoe tangata tauhele.
Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
6 ʻA koe ko e fakapikopiko, ʻalu ki he lō; tokanga ki heʻene anga, pea ke poto ai;
Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
7 ʻAia ʻoku ʻikai hano fakahinohino, pe enginaki, pe ha pule,
Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 Ka ʻoku ne tokonaki ʻene meʻakai ʻi he faʻahitaʻu mafana, ʻo ne tānaki ʻene meʻakai ʻi he ututaʻu.
She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
9 ʻA koe ko e fakapikopiko, ʻe fēfē hono fuoloa ʻo hoʻo mohe? Te ke toki tuʻu hake ʻafē mei hoʻo mohe?
How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
10 “ʻE toe siʻi pe ʻae mohe, ʻe toe siʻi mo e moʻumohea, ʻe toe siʻi mo e fehulunaki ʻoe nima ke mohe:”
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
11 Pea pehē, ʻe haʻu ai hoʻo masiva ʻo hangē ha taha ʻoku fononga mai, pea mo hoʻo paea ʻo hangē ha tangata ʻoku toʻo mahafu.
Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
12 ʻOku ʻalu mo e ngutu kovi, ʻae tangata ʻoku angakovi, mo e tangata angahala.
A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
13 ʻOku kakamo ʻe ia ʻaki hono mata, ʻoku lea ʻaki ʻe ia hono vaʻe, ʻoku ako ʻaki ʻe ia hono louhiʻi nima;
Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
14 ʻOku ʻi hono loto ʻae kovi, ʻoku ne fakatupu maʻuaipē ʻae kovi; ʻoku tūtuuʻi ʻe ia ʻae maveuveu.
His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
15 Ko ia ʻe hoko fakafokifā ai ʻa ʻene malaʻia; ʻe maumau fakafokifā ia taʻehanofakamoʻui.
For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
16 ʻOku fehiʻa ʻa Sihova ki he meʻa ni ʻe ono: ʻio, ko e meʻa ʻe fitu ʻoku fakalielia ʻi hono ʻao:
Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
17 Ko e mata fielahi, ko e ʻelelo ʻoku loi, mo e nima ʻoku lilingi ʻae toto ʻoe taʻehalaia,
Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
18 Ko e loto ʻoku fakatupu ʻae ngaahi mahalo kovi, mo e vaʻe ʻoku veʻe vave ki he fai kovi,
A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
19 Ko e fakamoʻoni loi ʻoku lea ʻaki ʻae ngaahi loi, mo ia ʻoku fakatupu maveuveu ʻi he kāinga.
A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
20 ʻE hoku foha, ke ke tauhi ʻae fekau ʻa hoʻo tamai, pea ʻoua naʻa liʻaki ʻae fono ʻa hoʻo faʻē:
My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
21 Nonoʻo maʻuaipē ia ki ho loto, pea kahoa ʻaki ia ʻi ho kia.
Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
22 ʻOka ke ka ʻalu, te ne tataki koe; ʻoka ke ka mohe, te ne tauhi koe; pea ʻoka ke ka ʻā, te mo alea mo ia.
In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.
23 He ko e fekau ko e tuʻunga maama ia: pea ko e fono ko e maama ia; pea ko e valoki fakapoto ko e hala ia ʻoe moʻui:
For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
24 Ke fakahaofi koe mei he fefine angahala, mei he lea fakaoloolo ʻae fefine muli.
They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
25 ʻOua naʻa ke holi ʻi ho loto ki hono fakaʻofoʻofa; pea ʻoua naʻa tuku ke ne kākaaʻi koe ʻaki hono laumata.
Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
26 He ko e meʻa ʻi he fefine feʻauaki ʻoku fakamasivaʻi ʻae tangata ke toe siʻi ʻene konga mā: pea ʻe tuli ʻe he tonotangata ʻae moʻui mahuʻinga.
For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
27 ʻE faʻa ʻai ʻe ha tangata ʻae afi ki hono fatafata, pea ʻikai vela hono ngaahi kofu?
May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
28 ʻE ʻeveʻeva ha taha ʻi he funga maka vela, ka ʻe ʻikai vela hono vaʻe?
Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 ʻOku pehē ʻaia ʻoku ʻalu atu ki he uaifi ʻo hono kaungāʻapi; ʻe ʻikai tonuhia ia ʻoku ala ki ai.
So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.
30 ʻOku ʻikai fehiʻa ʻae kakai ki ha kaihaʻa, ʻo kapau kuo ne kaihaʻa ke fakafiemālie hono loto ʻi heʻene feinga fiekaia;
Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
31 Kā, ʻoka ʻilo ia, ʻe totongi ʻe ia ke liunga fitu; ʻe ʻatu ʻe ia ʻae meʻa kotoa pē ʻo hono fale.
But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.
32 Ka ko ia ʻoku tonofefine, ʻoku masiva poto: ko ia ʻoku ne fai ia ʻoku fakaʻauha ʻe ia hono laumālie ʻoʻona.
He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
33 ʻE lavea ai ia mo ongoongo kovi: pea ʻe ʻikai holoholoʻi ʻa hono manukia.
Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
34 He ko e fuaʻa ko e fakalili ia ʻoe tangata: ko ia ʻe ʻikai te ne toe mamae ai ʻi he ʻaho ʻoe totongi.
For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
35 ʻE ʻikai tokangaʻi ʻe ia ha tukungoue; pea ʻe ʻikai fiemālie ia ʻi hoʻo foaki lahi.
He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
