Proverbs 17

1 Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.

‌ʻOku lelei hake ʻae kihiʻi meʻakai siʻi ʻoku mōmoa, mo e fakalongolongo, ʻi he fale ʻoku fonu ʻi he meʻakai lelei, ka ʻoku ʻi ai mo e feʻiteʻitani.

2 A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.

‌ʻE pule ʻae tamaioʻeiki ʻoku poto ki he foha ʻoku fai fakamā; pea ʻe maʻu ʻe ia ha tofiʻa fakataha mo e fānau.

3 The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.

Ko e kulo ʻahiʻahiʻi ko e meʻa ia ki he siliva, pea ko e meʻa ki he koula ʻae afi kakaha: ka ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻae loto kotoa pē ʻe Sihova.

4 A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.

‌ʻOku tokanga ʻae tangata fai kovi ki he loungutu ʻoku loi; pea ʻoku tokanga ʻe ia ʻoku loi ki he ʻelelo ʻoku kovi.

5 Whoever makes sport of the poor puts shame on his Maker; and he who is glad because of trouble will not go free from punishment.

Ko ia ʻoku manuki ki he masiva ʻoku valoki ʻe ia ʻa hono Tupuʻanga: pea ʻe ʻikai fakatonuhiaʻi ʻae tangata ko ia ʻoku fiefia ʻi he hoko ʻae ngaahi kovi.

6 Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.

Ko e fānau ʻae fānau ko e tatā ia ʻoe kau mātuʻa: pea ko e lelei ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻenau ngaahi tamai.

7 Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.

‌ʻOku ʻikai ngali mo e vale ʻae lea lelei: pea ʻoku taʻengali ʻaupito mo ha ʻeiki ʻae loungutu ʻoku loi.

8 An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.

‌ʻOku tatau ha meʻa foaki mo e maka mahuʻinga ki he mata ʻoʻona ʻoku ne maʻu ia: he ʻoku lelei pe ia ʻi he potu kotoa pē ʻoku tafoki ia ki ai.

9 He who keeps a sin covered is looking for love; but he who keeps on talking of a thing makes division between friends.

‌ʻOku ʻofeina ia ʻoku faʻa ʻufiʻufi ʻae fai hala: ka ko ia ʻoku toe lea ʻaki ha meʻa, ko e fakamāvae ia ʻoe kaumeʻa feʻofoʻofani.

10 A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.

‌ʻOku ongongofua ʻae valoki ki he loto ʻoe tangata poto ʻi he kauʻimaea ke liunga teau ki he vale.

11 An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.

‌ʻOku fie talangataʻa pe ʻae tangata angakovi; pea ko ia ʻe fekau atu ai kiate ia ha taha ʻoku angamālohi.

12 It is better to come face to face with a bear whose young ones have been taken away than with a foolish man acting foolishly.

‌ʻOku lelei hake ke fakafetaulaki ha tangata mo ha pea kuo kaihaʻasi mei ai ʻa hono ʻuhiki, ʻi he fetaulaki mo ha vale ʻi heʻene vale.

13 If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.

Ko ia ʻoku ne totongi ʻaki ʻae kovi ki he lelei, ʻe ʻikai mavahe ʻae kovi mei hono fale.

14 The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.

Ko e kamataʻanga ʻoe feʻiteʻitani ʻoku hangē ko e fakapā mai ʻo ha vai: ko ia ke tuku ʻā ʻae fekeʻikeʻi ʻi he teʻeki ai hoko ha meʻa.

15 He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.

‌ʻOku fakatou fakalielia kia Sihova ʻaia ʻoku ne fakatonuhiaʻi ʻae halaia, mo ia ʻoku ne talatalaakiʻi ʻae māʻoniʻoni.

16 How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?

Ko e hā eni kuo ʻai ʻae totongi ki he nima ʻoe vale ke ne maʻu ai ʻae poto, ka ʻoku ʻikai te ne maʻu ha loto ki ai?

17 A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.

‌ʻOku ʻofa maʻuaipē ʻae kāinga moʻoni, pea kuo fanauʻi ho tokoua ke talifaki ʻae ʻaho ʻoe kovi.

18 A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.

Ko e tangata ʻoku masiva poto, ʻoku puke ʻe ia ʻae nima, ʻo ne fai ʻae fakamoʻoni totongi ʻi he ʻao ʻo hono kāinga.

19 The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.

Ko ia ʻoku manako ki he feʻiteʻitani ʻoku ʻofa ia ki he kovi: pea ko ia ʻoku hiki hake hono matapā ʻoku kumi ʻe ia ki he fakaʻauha.

20 Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.

‌ʻOku ʻikai ʻilo ha lelei siʻi ʻe ia ʻoku loto talangataʻa: pea ʻoku tō hifo ki he kovi ʻaia ʻoku maʻu ʻae ʻelelo kovi.

21 He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.

Ko ia ʻoku ne fakatupu ha vale ʻoku ne fai ke ne mamahi ai ia: pea ʻoku ʻikai maʻu ha fiefia ʻe he tamai ʻae tangata vale.

22 A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.

‌ʻOku tupu ʻae lelei ʻo hangē ha faitoʻo mei he loto ʻoku fiefia: ka ʻoku fakamōmoa ʻae hui ʻe he laumālie kuo mafesi.

23 A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.

‌ʻOku toʻo mai ʻe he angakovi ha meʻa foaki mei he fatafata, ke ne taki kehe ʻae hala ʻoe fakamaau.

24 Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.

‌ʻOku ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tangata ʻoku faʻa fakakaukau ʻae poto: ka ʻoku ʻi he ngaahi ngataʻanga ʻo māmani ʻae mata ʻoe vale.

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.

Ko e foha ʻoku vale ko e fakamamahi ia ki heʻene tamai, mo e ongosia kiate ia naʻe fāʻeleʻi ia.

26 To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.

‌ʻOku ʻikai lelei ke tautea ʻae angatonu: pe ko e taaʻi ʻoe houʻeiki ʻi heʻenau fai totonu.

27 He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.

Ko ia ʻoku ne maʻu ʻae poto ʻoku ne taʻofi ki heʻene lea: pea ʻoku loto lelei ʻae tangata ko ia ʻoku faʻa fakakaukau.

28 Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.

Naʻa mo e vale ʻoku lau ia ko e poto, ʻoka fakalongo pē ia: pea ʻoku lau ko e tangata faʻa ʻilo ʻaia ʻoku mapuni hono loungutu.