Ecclesiastes 10

1 Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!

‌ʻOku fakanamukū ʻe he lango kuo mate ʻae meʻa namu lelei ʻae tangata faitoʻo: pea ʻoku pehē ʻae vale siʻi ʻo ha taha ʻoku ongoongoa ʻa ʻene poto mo ʻene angatonu.

2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.

Ko e loto ʻoe tangata poto ʻoku ʻi hono nima toʻomataʻu; ka ʻoku ʻi hono toʻohema ʻae loto ʻoe vale.

3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, 'He [is] a fool.'

‌ʻIo, ko e moʻoni, ʻoka ʻeveʻeva ʻae vale ʻi he hala kuo mole hono loto, pea ʻoku ne tala ki he kakai kotoa pē ko e vale pe ia.

4 If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.

Kapau ʻe tuputāmaki ʻae loto ʻoe pule kiate koe, ʻoua naʻa ke hiki mei hoʻo ngāue; he ʻoku fakamolemole ʻae kovi lahi ʻe he tali angavaivai.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,

‌ʻOku ai ʻae kovi kuo u mamata ki ai ʻi he lalo laʻā, ko e fai hala ʻoe pule:

6 He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.

Kuo hakeakiʻi ʻae vale ke māʻolunga, pea nofo ʻae koloaʻia ʻi he potu māʻulalo.

7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.

Kuo u mamata ki he heka hoosi ʻae kau tamaioʻeiki, kae ʻeveʻeva ʻi he funga kelekele ʻae fānau ʻae tuʻi ʻo hangē ha kau tamaioʻeiki.

8 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.

Ko ia ʻoku keli ʻae luo ʻe tō ia ki ai; pea ko ia ʻoku maumauʻi ʻae ʻā, ʻe uʻu ia ʻe he ngata fekai.

9 Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.

Ko ia ʻoku hiki ʻae ngaahi maka ʻe lavea ai ia; pea ko ia ʻoku tā ʻakau ʻe tuʻutāmaki ai.

10 If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.

Kapau ʻoku peku ʻae toki, pea ʻikai fakaʻalo, ʻoku totonu ke ne ʻai ʻaki ia ʻae mālohi lahi; ka ʻoku ʻaonga ʻae poto ke fakahinohino.

11 If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.

Ko e moʻoni ʻe uʻu ʻae ngata ʻoka ʻikai fakalalata; pea ʻoku tatau mo ia ʻae tangata faʻa lea.

12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

‌ʻOku lelei ʻae lea mei he ngutu ʻoe tangata poto; ka ʻe fakaʻauha ʻae vale ʻe hono loungutu ʻoʻona.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.

Ko e kamataʻanga ʻoe lea ʻa hono ngutu ko e vale ia; pea ko e ikuʻanga ʻo ʻene lea ko e pauʻu mo e faha.

14 And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'

‌ʻOku fonu foki ʻae vale ʻi he lea: ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fakahā mai ʻe ha tangata ʻae meʻa ʻe hoko; pea ko e meʻa ʻe hoko ʻi he hili ʻa ʻene moʻui ni, ko hai ha taha ʻe faʻa tala ia kiate ia?

15 The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.

‌ʻOku ongosia ʻae vale taki taha kotoa pē ʻi heʻene ngāue, koeʻuhi ʻoku ʻikai te ne ʻilo pe ʻoku fēfē ʻene ʻalu ki he kolo.

16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.

‌ʻE fonua, ʻe malaʻia ʻa koe, ʻi he kei tamasiʻi ʻa ho tuʻi, pea keinanga ʻi he kei pongipongi ʻa ho houʻeiki pule!

17 Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

‌ʻE fonua, ʻoku ke monūʻia, ʻo kapau ko ho tuʻi ko e foha ia ʻoe houʻeiki, pea keinanga ho houʻeiki ʻi he feituʻulaʻā totonu, ke nau mālohi kae ʻikai ke konā ai!

18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.

Ko e meʻa ʻi he fakapikopiko lahi ʻoku fakaʻaʻau ke motuʻa ʻae fale; pea ʻi he taʻengāue ʻae nima ʻoku tutulu ʻae fale.

19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

ʻOku ngaohi ʻae kātoanga ke tupu ai ʻae kata, pea ʻoku fakafiefia ʻe he uaine; ka ʻoku ʻaonga ʻae paʻanga ki he meʻa kotoa pē.

20 Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.

‌ʻOua naʻa lea kovi ki he tuʻi, ʻoua ʻaupito naʻa ke mahalo ki ai; pea ʻoua naʻa lea kovi ki he koloaʻia ʻi ho potu mohe: koeʻuhi ʻe fakaongo atu ho leʻo ʻe he manupuna ʻoe ʻatā, pea ʻe tala ʻae meʻa ʻe he manu ʻoku kapakau.