Proverbs 21

1 The king’s heart is in Yahweh’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.

‌ʻOku ʻi he nima ʻo Sihova ʻae loto ʻoe tuʻi, ʻo hangē ko e vai ʻoe ngaahi vaitafe: he ʻoku ne fefakatafoki ʻaki ia ko ʻene faʻiteliha ʻaʻana.

2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts.

‌ʻOku matamata totonu ʻae hala kotoa pē ʻoe tangata ki hono mata ʻoʻona: ka ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻe Sihova ʻae loto.

3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice.

Ko e fai totonu mo e fakamaau, ʻoku lelei hake ia kia Sihova ʻi he feilaulau.

4 A high look and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

Ko e mata ʻoku fieʻeiki, mo e loto fielahi, pea mo e keli ʻae kakai angakovi, ko e angahala ia.

5 The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

‌ʻOku tupu ʻae mahu ʻi he fakakaukau ʻae faʻa ngāue; ka ko e masiva pe kiate ia ʻoku fai fakavavevave noa pe.

6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death.

Ko e maʻu ʻae koloa lahi ʻaki ʻae ʻelelo loi, ko e vaʻinga ia ʻoku vilingia fano ʻiate kinautolu ʻoku kumi ki he mate.

7 The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right.

Ko e kaihaʻa ʻae kakai angakovi ʻe ʻauha ai ʻakinautolu; koeʻuhi ʻoku ʻikai te nau loto ki he fai totonu.

8 The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

‌ʻOku pikopiko mo ʻalu kehe ʻae hala ʻoe tangata: ka ʻoku totonu ʻae ngāue ʻaʻana ʻoku loto maʻa.

9 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than to share a house with a contentious woman.

‌ʻOku lelei hake ʻae nofo ki he tuliki ʻi ha tuʻafale, ʻi he nofo ʻi loto fale mo ha fefine ʻoku faʻa kē.

10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.

‌ʻOku holi ki he kovi ʻae laumālie ʻoe angahala: pea ʻoku ʻikai maʻu ha lelei ʻe hono kaungāʻapi ʻi hono ʻao.

11 When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom. When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

‌ʻOka tautea ʻaia ʻoku faʻa manuki, ʻe poto ai ʻae vale: pea ka akonekina ʻae poto, ʻoku ne maʻu ai ʻae ʻilo.

12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked, and brings the wicked to ruin.

‌ʻOku fakakaukau poto ʻae tangata māʻoniʻoni ki he fale ʻoe angahala: pea ʻoku lī ki lalo ʻae angahala ʻe he ʻOtua koeʻuhi ko ʻene angahala.

13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.

Ko ia ʻe tāpuni hono telinga ki he tangi ʻae masiva ʻe tangi foki ia, ka ʻe ʻikai ongoʻi ʻe ha taha.

14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.

‌ʻOku lolomi ʻae ʻita ʻoka ʻatu fufū ha meʻa foaki: pea ʻoku taʻofi ʻe he totongi fufū ʻae houhau lahi.

15 It is joy to the righteous to do justice; but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

Ko e fakamaau ko e fiefiaʻanga ia ʻoe māʻoniʻoni: ka ʻe hoko ʻae fakaʻauha ki he fai kovi.

16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.

‌ʻE nofomaʻu ʻi he fakatahaʻanga ʻoe kakai mate, ʻae tangata ko ia ʻoku hē mei he hala ʻoe poto.

17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man. He who loves wine and oil won’t be rich.

Ko ia ʻoku manako ki he vaʻinga ʻe hoko ia ko e tangata masiva: ʻe ʻikai koloaʻia ia ʻaia ʻoku manako ki he kava mo e lolo.

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, the treacherous for the upright.

‌ʻE fetongi ʻe he angahala ʻae māʻoniʻoni, pea mo ia ʻoku fai kovi ʻae angatonu.

19 It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

‌ʻOku lelei hake ʻae nofo ʻi he toafa, ʻi he nonofo mo ha fefine faʻa kē mo faʻa ʻita.

20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.

‌ʻOku ai ʻae koloa ke manako ki ai, pea mo e lolo ʻi he fale ʻoe poto; ka ʻoku fakaʻosi noa pe ia ʻe he tangata vale.

21 He who follows after righteousness and kindness finds life, righteousness, and honor.

Ko ia ʻoku tulituli pau ki he māʻoniʻoni mo e ʻaloʻofa te ne maʻu ʻae moʻui, mo e māʻoniʻoni, pea mo e ongolelei.

22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength of its confidence.

‌ʻOku kaka ʻe he tangata poto ʻae ʻā ʻoe kolo ʻae mālohi, ʻo ne maumauʻi hono mālohi mo ene viki.

23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

Ko ia ʻoku tauhi hono ngutu mo hono ʻelelo, ʻoku fakahaofi ʻe ia hono laumālie mei he ngaahi mamahi.

24 The proud and arrogant man—“Scoffer” is his name— he works in the arrogance of pride.

Ko fielahi mo manuki fieʻeiki, ko e hingoa ia ʻoʻona ʻoku faʻa ʻita ʻi he laukau.

25 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

Ko e holi ʻae fakapikopiko ʻe mate ai ia; he ʻoku fakafisi hono nima ki he ngāue.

26 There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold.

‌ʻOku manumanu ʻaupito ia ʻi he ʻaho ʻo poʻuli: ka ʻoku faʻa foaki ʻae māʻoniʻoni ʻo ʻikai te ne faʻa taʻofia ia.

27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination— how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!

Ko e meʻa fakalielia ʻae feilaulau ʻae angahala: kae huanoa ʻi hono ʻomi ia mo e loto kovi!

28 A false witness will perish. A man who listens speaks to eternity.

‌ʻE ʻauha ʻae fakamoʻoni loi: ka ko e tangata ʻoku faʻa fakafanongo ʻoku lea maau ia.

29 A wicked man hardens his face; but as for the upright, he establishes his ways.

‌ʻOku fakafefeka ʻe he tangata angakovi ʻa hono mata: ka ʻoku fakakaukau ʻe he angatonu ki hono hala.

30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.

‌ʻOku ʻikai ha poto pe ha fakakaukau, pe ha tuʻutuʻuni ʻe faʻa tuʻu kia Sihova.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh.

‌ʻOku teuteu ʻae hoosi ki he ʻaho ʻoe tau: ka ʻoku meia Sihova ʻae faʻa ikuna.