Olcueih 17
1 Tuituknah hmueih im dongkah a bae lakah a ommongnah buhkak kamat te then.
Better is a piece of dry bread, and quiet therewith, than a house full of the sacrifices of contention.
2 Hlang aka cangbam sal loh hlang yah aka bai capa te a taemrhai vetih, pacaboeina taengah rho a tael ni.
An intelligent servant will have rule over a son that bringeth shame, and among the brothers will he have part of the inheritance.
3 Cak hamla cak am, sui hamla hmai-ulh om, tedae BOEIPA long tah lungbuei ni a noem.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the Lord probeth the hearts.
4 Thae aka huet loh boethae hmuilai kah a honghi te a hnatung tih, talnah ol te hna a kaeng thil.
An evil-doer listeneth to unjust lips: falsehood giveth ear to a tongue that bringeth destruction.
5 Khodaeng aka tamdaeng tah amah aka saii kung ni a veet, rhainah soah ko aka hoe khaw hmil mahpawh.
Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker: he that is glad at calamities will not remain unpunished.
6 Ca rhoek kah a ca rhoek tah patong rhoek kah rhuisam la om tih a napa rhoek te khaw ca rhoek kah a boei a mang la om.
The crown of old men are children's children; and the ornament of children are their fathers.
7 Hlangrhuel hmuilai he a ang ham a rhoeprhui moenih. A honghi kah hmuilai khaw hlangcong hamla koih loeng loeng van pawh.
High-toned language is not seemly to a worthless fool: and yet much less the language of falsehood to a noble.
8 Kapbaih he a kungmah kah mik ah lungto mikdaithen bangla boeih a hoilae tih a cangbam.
As a precious stone appeareth a bribe in the eyes of him that obtaineth it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 Hlang kah dumlai aka dah loh lungnah a toem dae, olka dongah aka thovael loh a boeihlum khaw a paekboe sak.
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth confident friends.
10 Aka ang voei yakhat n'ngawn lakah aka yakming ham tah tluungnah mah a tlaeh pah coeng.
A reproof penetrateth more deeply into a wise man, than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 Boekoek loh boethae bueng a tlap dae, anih taengah puencawn muenying muenyang ni a tueih pa eh.
Only rebellion doth a bad man seek: therefore a cruel messenger will be sent out against him.
12 Hlang kah a dueidah a laemhong sak vom neh ka hum uh palueng eh, aka ang kah a anglat nen tah ka hum uh boel eh.
A man may meet a she-bear robbed of her whelps, but not a fool in his folly.
13 A then te thae la aka thuung tah a im lamkah a thae te nong rhoe nong mahpawh.
Whoso bestoweth evil in return for good—evil shall not depart from his house.
14 Olpungkacan a tongnah tah tui a cae sak. Te dongah tuituknah a puek hlanah huu laeh.
As one letteth loose [a stream] of water, so is the beginning of strife: therefore before it be enkindled, leave off the contest.
15 Halang aka tang sak neh hlang dueng aka boe sak, amih rhoi bang te BOEIPA kah a tueilaehkoi ni.
He that declareth the wicked innocent, and he that condemneth the righteous, yea, both of them are equally an abomination to the Lord.
16 Cueihnah lai ham hlang ang kut dongkah a phu te ba ham lae, a lungbuei neh a om hae moenih.
Wherefore is the purchase-money in the hand of a fool to acquire wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?
17 A tue boeih dongah a hui aka lungnah loh, citcai vaengkah ham manuca a cun.
A friend loveth at all times, and as a brother is he born for [the time of] distress.
18 Lungbuei aka talh hlang loh kut a yuh tih, a hui mikhmuh ah mingphanah rhi a khang.
A man void of sense pledgeth his hand, and becometh surety for his friend.
19 Boekoek aka lungnah loh olpungnah te a lungnah, a thohka te a sang sak tih pocinah a tlap.
He loveth transgression that loveth quarrel; and he that maketh high his door seeketh destruction.
20 Lungbuei aka voeldak loh hnothen hmu pawt tih, a ol neh hlang aka maelh khaw yoethae ah cungku.
He that hath a froward heart will not find happiness; and he that hath a perverse tongue will fall into evil.
21 Amah kah a pha-ueknah ham hlang ang te a cun, te dongah hlang ang kah a napa tah a ko a hoe moenih.
He that begetteth a fool [doth it] to his sorrow; and the father of a worthless fool cannot have any joy.
22 Lungbuei kohoe he si la a hoeih sak tih, mueihla a rhawp vaengah songrhuh khaw a koh sak.
A merry heart causeth a healthy appearance of the countenance, but a depressed spirit drieth up the bones.
23 Laitloeknah a caehlong te phaelh sak ham, halang loh a huep ah kapbaih a loh.
A wicked man taketh a bribe out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of justice.
24 Cueihnah he aka yakming ham tah amah mikhmuh ah a om pah tih, aka ang kah a mik ah tah diklai khobawt la a om pah.
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are at the ends of the earth.
25 Capa aka ang tah a napa ham konoinah la om tih, anih aka cun khaw hmuetphawtnah ni.
A foolish son is a vexation to his father, and bitterness to her that hath born him.
26 Hlang dueng te lai a sah sak khaw, a dueng dongah hlangcong taam ham then pawh.
To punish the just with a fine even is not good, nor to strike the noble [-hearted] for [their] equity.
27 A ol aka tuem tah mingnah te aka ming la om tih, mueihla phu tlo aka dingsuek tah hlang lungcuei ni.
He that holdeth back his speeches hath knowledge; and he that is sparing of his spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Hlang ang pataeng a hil a phah atah aka cueih la, a ka a buem atah aka yakming la a ngai coeng.
Even a fool, when he keepeth silence, is counted wise: he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.
