Lea Fakatātā 4
1Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
1ʻAe fānau, mou fanongo ki he akonaki ʻae tamai, pea tokanga ke ʻilo ʻae poto.
2for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
2He ʻoku ou foaki ʻae akonaki lelei kiate kimoutolu, pea ʻoua naʻa mou liʻaki ʻa ʻeku fono.
3When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
3He ko e foha au ʻo ʻeku tamai, ko e pele mo e ʻofeina taha pe au ʻi he ʻao ʻo ʻeku faʻē.
4he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
4Naʻa ne akonakiʻi foki au, ʻo ne pehē mai, “Tuku ke maʻu ʻi ho loto ʻa ʻeku ngaahi lea: tauhi ʻa ʻeku ngaahi fekau, ka ke moʻui.”
5Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
5Ke ke maʻu ʻae poto, pea maʻu mo e ʻilo: ʻoua naʻa ngalo ia; pea ʻoua naʻa ke fakaholomui mei he ngaahi lea ʻa hoku ngutu.
6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
6ʻOua naʻa liʻaki ia, pea te ne fakamoʻui koe: ke ke ʻofa kiate ia, pea te ne tauhi kiate koe.
7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
7Ko e poto ko e meʻa ʻoku fungani hake ia; ko ia ke ke maʻu ʻae poto: pea ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ke maʻu, ke ke maʻu mo e ʻilo.
8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
8Fakahikihikiʻi ia, pea te ne hakeakiʻi koe: pea ʻi hoʻo fāʻufua kiate ia, te ne fakaongoongolelei koe.
9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
9ʻE ai ʻe ia ʻae teunga matamatalelei ki ho ʻulu: ko e tatā ʻoe nāunau te ne foaki kiate koe.”
10Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
10ʻE hoku foha, fanongo, pea ke maʻu ʻa ʻeku ngaahi tala, pea ʻe hoko ai ʻo lahi ʻae ngaahi taʻu ʻo hoʻo moʻui.
11I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
11Kuo u akonakiʻi koe ʻi he hala ʻoe poto; pea kuo u tataki koe ʻi he ngaahi ʻaluʻanga totonu.
12When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.
12ʻOka ke ka ʻeveʻeva ʻe ʻikai ʻefihia ho vaʻe; pea ʻoka ke ka lele ʻe ʻikai te ke hinga.
13Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
13Puke ke maʻu ʻae akonaki; ʻoua naʻa tukuange ia: kuku maʻu ia; he ko hoʻo moʻui ia.
14Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.
14ʻOua naʻa ke ʻalu atu ki he hala ʻoe angahala, pea ʻoua naʻa ʻeveʻeva ʻi he ʻaluʻanga ʻoe kakai angakovi.
15Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
15Fakaʻehiʻehi mei ai, ʻoua naʻa ke ofi ki ai, tafoki mei ai, pea ʻalu atu pe.
16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
16He ʻoku ʻikai te nau mohe, ka ʻi heʻenau lavaʻi ʻae kovi; pea ʻi he ʻikai te nau fakahinga ha niʻihi ʻoku ʻikai ai te nau faʻa mohe.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
17He ʻoku nau kai ʻae mā ʻoe fai kovi, ʻonau inu ʻi he uaine ʻoe fakamālohi.
18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
18Ka ko e hala ʻoe angatonu ʻoku tatau ia mo e ulo ʻoe maama, ʻaia ʻoku ʻāsili pe ʻene ulo ʻo aʻu ki he haohaoa ʻoe ʻaho.
19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
19ʻOku tatau mo e poʻuli ʻae hala ʻoe angahala: ʻoku ʻikai te nau ʻilo ʻaia ʻoku nau tūkia ai.
20My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
20ʻE hoku foha, tokanga ki heʻeku ngaahi lea; fakatokangaʻi ho telinga ki heʻeku ngaahi tala.
21Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
21Ke ʻoua naʻa mole atu ia mei ho mata; ke maʻu ia ʻi he kakano ʻo ho loto.
22For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
22He ko e moʻui ia kiate kinautolu ʻoku maʻu ia, pea ko e faitoʻo ki honau kakano.
23Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
23Ke ke tauhi fakamātoato ki ho loto; he ʻoku tupu mei ai ʻae ikuʻanga ʻoe moʻui.
24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.
24Ke liʻaki ke mamaʻo ʻiate koe ʻae ngutu ʻoku kovi, mo e loungutu paongataʻa.
25Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
25Ke sio totonu atu pe ho mata, pea ke hangatonu ki muʻa ho laumata ʻiate koe.
26Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
26Fakakaukau ki he ʻalunga ʻo ho vaʻe, pea ʻe fakatonutonu ai ho ngaahi hala kotoa pē.
27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
27ʻOua naʻa afe ki he nima toʻomataʻu pe ki he toʻohema: ka ke fakatafoki ho vaʻe mei he kovi.