Proverbs 9

1 [It is as though] wisdom [is a woman who] has built a [big] house for herself, and has set up seven columns [to support the roof],

Kuo langa ʻe he poto ʻa hono fale, pea kuo ne tā mai ʻa hono pou ʻe fitu.

2 and has slaughtered an animal [and cooked the meat], and has mixed [nice spices] in the wine, and has put [the food] on the table.

Kuo ne tāmateʻi ʻene fanga manu; kuo ne huʻi ʻene uaine; kuo ne teuteu foki hono keinangaʻanga.

3 [It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,

Kuo ne fekau atu ʻene kau kaunanga; ʻoku kalanga ia mei he ngaahi potu māʻolunga ʻoe kolo,

4 “You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,

“Ko hai ia ʻoku taʻepoto ke afe mai ia ki heni:” pea ʻoku lea ia, ʻo pehē, kiate ia ʻoku taʻeʻilo,

5 “Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!

“Haʻu, ʻo kai ʻi heʻeku mā, ʻo inu ʻi he uaine kuo u huʻi ʻeau.

6 (Leave/Go away from) [other] foolish people, and [if you do that, you will continue to] live. Walk on the road that will enable you to (have knowledge/know what is true and what is not true).”

Liaki ʻae kau vale, ka ke moʻui; pea ke ʻalu ʻi he hala ʻoe faʻa ʻilo.”

7 If you rebuke someone who will not allow others to correct him, he will insult you. If you reprove/scold an evil man, he will hurt you.

Ko ia ʻoku valoki ki he tangata manuki ʻoku fakamā ai ia: pea ʻoku pani ʻuli ia ʻaia ʻoku ne valokiʻi ʻae tangata angakovi.

8 Do not rebuke someone who will not allow others to (correct him/tell him what he has done is wrong), because he will hate you for doing that. [But] if you rebuke a wise person, he will respect you.

‌ʻOua naʻa valoki ki he tangata manuki, telia naʻa ne fehiʻa kiate koe: takitalaʻi ʻae tangata poto, pea ʻe ʻofa ai ia kiate koe.

9 If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.

‌ʻAko ki he tangata poto, pea ʻe ʻāsili ai ʻene poto: akonakiʻi ʻae angatonu, pea ʻe tupulekina ai ʻa ʻene ʻilo.

10 If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh, and if you know God, the Holy One, you will understand [which teachings are wise/true].

Ko e manavahē kia Sihova ko e kamataʻanga ia ʻoe poto: pea ko e ʻilo ʻoe māʻoniʻoni ko e fakakaukau poto ia.

11 If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].

He ko e meʻa ʻiate au ʻe fakalahi ho ngaahi ʻaho, pea ʻe fakalahi mo e taʻu ʻo hoʻo moʻui.

12 If you are wise, you are the one who will benefit from it; if you ridicule [becoming wise], you are the one who will suffer.

Kapau ko e poto koe, ʻoku ke poto pe maʻau: ka ke ka taukae, ko koe pe te ke ongoʻi ia.

13 Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].

‌ʻOku faʻa longoaʻa ʻae fefine vale: ʻoku taʻepoto ia, ʻoku ʻikai te ne ʻilo ha meʻa.

14 They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,

He ʻoku nofo ia ʻi he matapā ʻo hono fale, ʻi he hekaʻanga ʻi he ngaahi potu māʻolunga ʻoe kolo,

15 and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,

Ke ui ki he kakai fononga, ʻakinautolu ʻoku ʻalu totonu atu ʻi honau hala:

16 “You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,

“Ko hai ia ʻoku taʻepoto, ke afe mai ia ki heni:” pea ʻoku ne lea, ʻo pehē kiate ia, ʻoku taʻeʻilo,

17 “[Just as] water which you have stolen tastes very good and food that you eat by yourself tastes the best, [if you have sex secretly with someone to whom you are not married, you will enjoy it very much].”

“ko e vai ʻoku kaihaʻasi ʻoku melie ia, pea ʻoku ifoifo lelei ʻae mā ʻoku kai fakafufū.”

18 But men who go to those women’s houses do not know that those who have gone there are now dead; they have descended down into the deepest parts of the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)

Ka ʻoku ʻikai ke ne ʻilo ʻoku ʻi ai ʻae mate; pea ʻoku ʻi he loloto ʻo heli ʻae kakai kuo ne fakaafe. (Sheol h7585)