Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
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 prudent servant, shall rule over a son who causeth shame, and, in the midst of brothers, shall he share the inheritance.
ʻE pule ʻae tamaioʻeiki ʻoku poto ki he foha ʻoku fai fakamā; pea ʻe maʻu ʻe ia ha tofiʻa fakataha mo e fānau.
3 Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
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 Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip, —Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying 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 He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
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 The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment 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 Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
ʻOku ʻikai ngali mo e vale ʻae lea lelei: pea ʻoku taʻengali ʻaupito mo ha ʻeiki ʻae loungutu ʻoku loi.
8 A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
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 that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate 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 reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
ʻOku ongongofua ʻae valoki ki he loto ʻoe tangata poto ʻi he kauʻimaea ke liunga teau ki he vale.
11 Nothing less than rebellion, doth a wicked man seek, and, a relentless messenger, shall be sent out against him.
ʻOku fie talangataʻa pe ʻae tangata angakovi; pea ko ia ʻe fekau atu ai kiate ia ha taha ʻoku angamālohi.
12 Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
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 He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Ko ia ʻoku ne totongi ʻaki ʻae kovi ki he lelei, ʻe ʻikai mavahe ʻae kovi mei hono fale.
14 A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
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 that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
ʻOku fakatou fakalielia kia Sihova ʻaia ʻoku ne fakatonuhiaʻi ʻae halaia, mo ia ʻoku ne talatalaakiʻi ʻae māʻoniʻoni.
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a dullard? that he who is without sense, may acquire wisdom.
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 At all times, doth a friend love, and, a brother for distress, must be born.
ʻOku ʻofa maʻuaipē ʻae kāinga moʻoni, pea kuo fanauʻi ho tokoua ke talifaki ʻae ʻaho ʻoe kovi.
18 A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, 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 A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
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 The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
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 that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
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 joyful heart, worketh an excellent cure, —but, a stricken spirit, drieth up the bone.
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 bribe out of his bosom, doth a lawless man take, to pervert the ways of justice.
ʻOku toʻo mai ʻe he angakovi ha meʻa foaki mei he fatafata, ke ne taki kehe ʻae hala ʻoe fakamaau.
24 Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in 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 vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
Ko e foha ʻoku vale ko e fakamamahi ia ki heʻene tamai, mo e ongosia kiate ia naʻe fāʻeleʻi ia.
26 Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
ʻOku ʻikai lelei ke tautea ʻae angatonu: pe ko e taaʻi ʻoe houʻeiki ʻi heʻenau fai totonu.
27 Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
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 a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise, —He that closeth his lips, [is thought] to have understanding.
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.
