Thuituen 10
1 Dueknah pilyang loh thungnom situi thaa te a rhim sak bangla vel lunghmangnah vik te cueihnah lakah khaw, thangpomnah lakah khaw nul.
Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odour; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
2 Aka cueih kah lungbuei tah a bantang la mael tih aka ang kah lungbuei tah a banvoei la mael.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Longpuei ah pataeng lunghmang tah lunghmang bangla a lungbuei a talh hil pongpa tih a lunghmang te a cungkuem taengah a thui.
Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 Aka taemrhai kah mueihla loh nang taengah pai mai cakhaw na hmuen phawt boeh. Hoeihnah long ni tholhnah a len khaw a duem sak.
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offences to rest.
5 Boei mikhmuh lamloh tohtamaeh la aka thoeng ka hmuh te khomik hmuiah a thae la om.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
6 Pavai te hmuensang la muep a khueh vaengah hlanglen tah mathoe la kho a sak.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 Marhang dongkah sal rhoek ka hmuh vaengah mangpa rhoek tah diklai ah sal bangla pongpa uh.
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
8 Rhom aka too khaw a khuila cungku tih vongtung aka phae khaw rhul loh amah a tuk.
He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 Lungto aka puen khaw amah ah a kothae tih thing aka phaek khaw te nen te tohngah saeh.
Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 Thi te duu tih a ha te a haat pawt atah thadueng khaw vak. Tedae rhoeikhangnah tah cueihnah long ni a khui sak.
If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
11 Calthai a om pawt ah rhul loh a tuk atah cal kung ham rhoeikhangnah moenih.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
12 Hlang cueih ka dongkah ol tah mikdaithen om tih aka ang kah hmuilai long tah amah a dolh.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
13 A ka dongkah ol tongnah te lunghmangnah la om tih a ka dongkah ol bawtnah khaw boethae angvawknah la om.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 Lunghmang tah ol pung tih metla a om khaw hlang loh ming pawh. A hnuk ah metla a om ham khaw a taengah ulong a thui pah voel?
A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
15 Hlang ang kah thakthaenah loh amah a kohnue sak tih khopuei la caeh ham khaw ming pawh.
The labour of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
16 Na manghai khaw camoe tih na mangpa rhoek loh mincang ah nah a caak uh te, khohmuen nang ngawn tah khomap.
Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Na manghai te hlangcoelh capa van tih, na mangpa rhoek long khaw rhuihahnah ham pawt tih thayung thamal hamla a tue vaengah aka ca khohmuen nang tah na yoethen.
Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Ngaknah lamloh tul pae hmawn tih kut poemnah lamloh im cae.
By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 Nueihbu ham buh a khueh tih misurtui loh hingnah ko a hoe sak. Tedae tangka loh a cungkuem te a doo.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
20 Na cangnah nen khaw manghai te tap boeh. Imkhui kah na thingkong dongah khaw hlanglen te tap boeh. Vaan kah vaa loh ol te khuen vetih ol te a phae loh a kungmah taengah thui ve.
Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.
