Thuituen 12
1 Yoethae khohnin a pai hlan kah na cacawn tue vaengah nang aka suen te poek. Kum loh a pha vaengah tah a khuiah kai hamla kongaih om pawh na ti ni.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
2 Khomik neh vangnah, hla neh aisi loh hmuep tih khonal hnukkah khomai a mael hlan vaengah.
before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
3 Te khohnin ah tah im tawt rhoek te tonga uh vetih tatthai hlang rhoek khaw khun uh ni. Sum kuelh rhoek khaw muei vetih paa ni. Bangbuet longah aka so khaw a hmuep pah ni.
on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
4 Thohkhaih te imdak ah a khaih uh vetih sumkuelh ol khaw dim ni. Vaa ol dongah thoo vetih laa sa nu rhoek khaw boeih ngam uh ni.
when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,
5 A sang neh longpuei ah mueirhih te a rhih uh bal ni. Noe thing khaw khooi vetih tangku khaw canawt ni. Huengaihnah khaw talh tih hlang loh amah kah kumhal im la cet tih aka rhaengsae rhoek loh imdak ah a vael uh.
when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
6 Cak rhui siing a pat pawt ah khaw sui tuidueh paep tih tuisih kah amrhaeng rhek. Tuito kah hmuikil khaw po coeng.
Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
7 Te vaengah laipi tah a om hmuen bangla diklai la mael tih mueihla tah aka pae kung Pathen taengla mael.
before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 A honghi kah a honghi ni, thuituenkung loh a honghi ni boeih a thui.
“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
9 Aka cueih thuituenkung la a om bangla hoeikhangnah phoeiah khaw pilnam te mingnah neh a tukkil bal tih a khiingmong. Te vaengah thuidoeknah khaw a dueng la muep a khe.
Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
10 Thuituenkung loh kongaih ol te hmuh hamla a tlap tih oltak ol te a dueng la a daek.
The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
11 Hlang cueih ol tah ciksum bangla, olboep boei aka khing thikhing bangla om. Te te tu dawn pakhat loh a paek.
The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
12 Te phoeikah a koeinah la, ka ca te n'thuituen pai saeh. Cabu saii ham he rhu tih bawt pawh. Muep cangnah khaw pumsa kah tawnbanah ni.
And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
13 Ol bawtnah la a cungkuem aka ya loh Pathen te rhih lamtah a olpaek te tuem. He he hlang boeih ham ni.
When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
14 Bibi boeih neh a thuh boeih te khaw, a thae khaw, a then a khaw Pathen loh laitloeknah khuila a khuen ni.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
