Patukkung 12
1 Kai loe to baktih hmuennawk nuiah anghoehaih ka tawn ai, tiah na thuihaih saning mah pha thuih ai vop moe, sethaih aninawk mah na pha thuih ai nathuem, na qoeng li naah, nang Sahkung Sithaw to panoek ah;
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them;"
2 to baktih atue loe ni hoi ni aengh om mak ai, khrah hoi cakaeh doeh aang mak ai, kho angzoh moe, tamai anghmat phaenghaih atue ah om tih;
Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 im toep kaminawk loe tasoeh o tih, thacak kaminawk loe kaengkuu o tih, kami tamsi pongah cang kae kaminawk loe anghak o tih, thokbuem hoiah khen kaminawk loe hnu o thai mak ai boeh;
in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,
4 cang kaehhaih atuenh thazok boeh, to naah lampui taeng ih thoknawk to khaa o tih; tavaa ih lok thaih naah anih to angthawk tih, laasah nongpatanawk mah laa lok kahnaem ah laa to sah o tih;
and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
5 nihcae mah kasang ahmuen to zii o tih, loklam ah zithaih to om tih, almond thing loe tadok tacawt ueloe, pakhuh loe nang han hmuen kazit ah om tih, koehhaih palungthin to thazok tih boeh; kami loe angmah ih dungzan im ah caeh boeh pongah, palungsae kaminawk loe loklam ah caeh o tih:
Also, they are afraid of heights, and of terrors in the way; and the almond tree blossoms, and the grasshopper is burdened, and the caper bush fails; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 to tih ai boeh loe sumkanglung aqui khramhaih maw, sui boengloeng koihhaih maw, tuibap tui sohhaih laom koihhaih maw, to tih ai boeh loe tuikung ah khok angkhaehhaih to om tih.
before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
7 Maiphu loe a ohhaih long ah amlaem let ueloe, muithla loe paekkung Sithaw khaeah amlaem let tih.
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Azom pui ni! azom pui ni! Hmuen boih loe azom pui ah ni oh, tiah patukkung mah thuih.
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher. All is vanity.
9 Patukkung loe palungha pongah, kaminawk hanah palunghahaih to patuk; ue, tha pathokhaih hoiah pakrong pacoengah, pop parai palunghahaih loknawk to a sak.
Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 Patukung loe tapom thaih koiah kaom loknawk to hnuk thai hanah pakrong, anih mah tarik ih loknawk loe toeng moe, loktang lok ah oh.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
11 Palungha kami ih loknawk loe, kamsum cung baktih, tuu toepkung mah tuu huih haih hanah patoh ih thingboeng, kaminawk mah thing nawnto takhing haih, sumdiknawk baktiah oh.
The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of collections, which are given from one shepherd.
12 To pacoengah ka capa, to baktih loknawk hoi thuitaek ih kami ah om ah; cabu sakhaih loe boeng thai ai; kapop ah amtukhaih mah takpum angphosak.
Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Sangqum boih ah lok pakhaphaih loe hae tiah oh; Sithaw to zii ah loe, a paek ih loknawk to pakuem ah; hae loe kami mah hing thung sak han ih tok ah oh.
This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
14 Kasae maw, kahoih maw, tamquta hoiah sak ih hmuen baktih, sak ih hmuennawk baktih toengah Sithaw mah lokcaek tih.
For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
