Patukkung 10
1 Kadueh taksae mah hmuihoih tui to hmuisae ah angcoengsak baktih toengah, kamthu khosakhaih mah palunghahaih hoi ahmin kahoih pakoehhaih to amrosak.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.
2 Palungha kami ih palung loe bantang bangah oh, toe kamthu ih palung loe banqoi bangah oh.
The heart of a wise [man] 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.
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his sense faileth [him], and he saith to every one [that] he is a fool.
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 thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.
5 Ukkung khae hoiah sakpazaehaih tacawt baktih toengah, ni tlim ah ka hnuk ih hmuen kasae to oh.
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:
6 Angraeng mah ahmuen kahnaem ah anghnut naah, kamthu loe kasang ahmuen ah anghnut lat.
folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
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 upon the earth.
8 Qumqai kami loe tangqom thungah krah tih; sipae phrae kami loe pahui mah patuk tih.
He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9 Thlung takhoe kami loe nganbawh kana hak tih; thing khuek kami loe ahmaa caa tih.
Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
10 Caka to kanoe ah taak ai nahaeloe, tha ueng han angaih; toe palunghahaih mah atho ohhaih loklam to hnuksak.
If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.
11 Pahui to adoi hoiah na sak cadoeh na patuk tih, lokpunghaih loe amekhaih tidoeh om ai.
If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
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 man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.
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 is 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?
And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
15 Vangpui thungah caehhaih loklam to panoek ai baktih toengah, kamthu toksakhaih mah kaminawk angphosak boih.
The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how 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 thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy 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.
Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in [due] season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Thasethaih mah im to hmawnsak; bantha set pongah im loe kho longh.
By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
19 Pahnuih hanah ni poih to sak, mu mah kami poeknawmsak; toe phoisa mah hmuenmae to qan thaih boih.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.
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.
Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
