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 perfumer to send forth a stinking odour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
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 is at his left.
3 Ue, kamthu loe lamcaeh naah doeh, amthuhaih to amtueng moe, angmah amthuhaih to minawk boih khaeah thuih.
Also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom 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 riseth against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding 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 which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 Angraeng mah ahmuen kahnaem ah anghnut naah, kamthu loe kasang ahmuen ah anghnut lat.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in 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 shall fall into it; and whoever breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Thlung takhoe kami loe nganbawh kana hak tih; thing khuek kami loe ahmaa caa tih.
Whoever removeth stones shall be hurt by them; and he that cutteth wood shall be endangered by it.
10 Caka to kanoe ah taak ai nahaeloe, tha ueng han angaih; toe palunghahaih mah atho ohhaih loklam to hnuksak.
If the iron is blunt, and he doth not whet the edge, then must he use more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Pahui to adoi hoiah na sak cadoeh na patuk tih, lokpunghaih loe amekhaih tidoeh om ai.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
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 will 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 foolishness: 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?
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Vangpui thungah caehhaih loklam to panoek ai baktih toengah, kamthu toksakhaih mah kaminawk angphosak boih.
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth 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.
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the 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 slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
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 merry: but money answereth all things.
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 a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
