Patukkung 10
1 Kadueh taksae mah hmuihoih tui to hmuisae ah angcoengsak baktih toengah, kamthu khosakhaih mah palunghahaih hoi ahmin kahoih pakoehhaih to amrosak.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 Palungha kami ih palung loe bantang bangah oh, toe kamthu ih palung loe banqoi bangah oh.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Ue, kamthu loe lamcaeh naah doeh, amthuhaih to amtueng moe, angmah amthuhaih to minawk boih khaeah thuih.
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 Ukkung mah palung ang phui thuih naah, na ohhaih ahmuen to caeh taak hmah; angdaehahih mah kalen sakpazaehaih to dipsak.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 Ukkung khae hoiah sakpazaehaih tacawt baktih toengah, ni tlim ah ka hnuk ih hmuen kasae to oh.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Angraeng mah ahmuen kahnaem ah anghnut naah, kamthu loe kasang ahmuen ah anghnut lat.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 Angraengnawk khok hoiah amkaeh o naah, tamnanawk mah hrang nuiah angthueng o lat.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Qumqai kami loe tangqom thungah krah tih; sipae phrae kami loe pahui mah patuk tih.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Thlung takhoe kami loe nganbawh kana hak tih; thing khuek kami loe ahmaa caa tih.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 Caka to kanoe ah taak ai nahaeloe, tha ueng han angaih; toe palunghahaih mah atho ohhaih loklam to hnuksak.
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Pahui to adoi hoiah na sak cadoeh na patuk tih, lokpunghaih loe amekhaih tidoeh om ai.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Palungha kami ih pakha thung hoiah tacawt loknawk loe tahmenhaih to oh, toe kamthu loe angmah ih pahni mah paaeh.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 Anih pakha hoi tacawt tangsuek lok loe amthuhaih hoiah amtong, anih ih lokpaeh boenghaih loe kasae amthuhaih ah oh.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 Kamthu loe lok pung, kami mah angzo han koi hmuen to thui thai ai; anih hmabang ah timaw om tih, tiah mi mah maw thui thai tih?
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 Vangpui thungah caehhaih loklam to panoek ai baktih toengah, kamthu toksakhaih mah kaminawk angphosak boih.
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Nawkta ukkung siangpahrang ohhaih prae, khawnthaw ah buh raenghhaih poih sah angraengnawk ohhaih prae, nang loe khosak bing!
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Khingya han koi kaom imthung takoh hoiah tapen siangpahrang ohhaih prae, mu kanae hmoek ai, tha oh hanah atue phak naah buh kacaa angraengnawk ohhaih prae, nang loe tahamhoih.
Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 Thasethaih mah im to hmawnsak; bantha set pongah im loe kho longh.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Pahnuih hanah ni poih to sak, mu mah kami poeknawmsak; toe phoisa mah hmuenmae to qan thaih boih.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Siangpahrang to palung thung hoiah doeh pasoih hmah; angraengnawk doeh na iihhaih ahmuen hoiah pasoih hmah; van ih tavaa mah na lok to sin ueloe, pakhraeh kaom tavaa mah thui pae moeng tih.
Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
