Awicyih 23
1 Ukkung ingqawi buh ai haih hamna nang ngawih awh, namik huh awhkaw ak awm ce ak leekna toek.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Thou considerest diligently that which [is] before thee,
2 Awk ai awh ak kamvana na awm awhtaw na hawngawh cimca toen.
And thou hast put a knife to thy throat, If thou [art] a man of appetite.
3 Thailatnaak buh ni ti sim nawh a tuinaak doeng koeh nai.
Have no desire to his dainties, seeing it [is] lying food.
4 Boei na ngaih yyt awh lynaak koeh toen, yh thai hamna na cyih ta.
Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not.
5 Ak qeeng thai khawhawh koeh ly, ang hlaa tawi nawh ding valh kaw, Huu khanna ang ding amyihna.
For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.
6 Thlak yyt a buh koeh ai nawh, a buh tui ant tui koeh nai.
Eat not the bread of an evil eye, And have no desire to his dainties,
7 Ak poek amyih koep nani a awmna, “Ai hlah, aw hlah,” ti kawm saw; cehlai ak kawlung ing am ti tang kaw.
For as he hath thought in his soul, so [is] he, 'Eat and drink,' saith he to thee, And his heart [is] not with thee.
8 Na buh ai ce laawk kawm tik saw, nak awihleek ce plak kawp ti.
Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that [are] sweet.
9 Thlakqaw ang zaakna awi koeh kqawn, nak awicyihkhqi ce husit kaw.
In the ears of a fool speak not, For he treadeth on the wisdom of thy words.
10 Syn awhkawng qii lung ami khoeng koeh thoeih nawh, cadah a khawhyn koeh cuh pyi.
Remove not a border of olden times, And into fields of the fatherless enter not,
11 Amingmih ak dyihpyikung taw ak thamah ni, anih ing na venawh awi kqawn law kaw.
For their Redeemer [is] strong, He doth plead their cause with thee.
12 Cawngpyinaak benna nak kawlung pe nawh, nang haa ing zaaknaak benna hawi.
Bring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge.
13 Nasen toel koeh hqeh, cumcik ing vyk tik seiawm am thi kaw.
Withhold not from a youth chastisement, When thou smitest him with a rod he dieth not.
Thou with a rod smitest him, And his soul from Sheol thou deliverest. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ka capa, nak kaw a cyih awhtaw kak kaw zeel soeih soeih kaw.
My son, if thy heart hath been wise, My heart rejoiceth, even mine,
16 Oeih, nam kha awhkawng awihthym ak cawnawh kak kaw awmhly soeih kaw.
And my reins exult when thy lips speak uprightly.
17 Nak kawlung ing thlakche koeh oet seitaw, Khawsa kqihchahnaak doeng mah nak kawlung ing poek lah.
Let not thy heart be envious at sinners, But — in the fear of Jehovah all the day.
18 Kutdo awm law ngai kawm saw, nang ngaihuunaak ing am qeeng ti kaw.
For, is there a posterity? Then thy hope is not cut off.
19 Ka capa, ngai nawh, cyi lah, lam ak thym awh nak kawlung sawi lah.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart,
20 Zuuk awkhqi ven ingkaw buh meh ak sawkkhqi venawh koeh boei;
Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh,
21 Zuuk quikhqi ingkaw buh meh ak sawkkhqi taw khawdeng kawm uh.
For the quaffer and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clotheth with rags.
22 Na pa, anik canaak ak awi ce pawm nawh, na nu ce a nucawng lawawh koeh thekha na.
Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she hath become old.
23 Awihthym ce thlai nawh koeh zawi voel; cyihnaak, cawngpyinaak, zaaksimnaakkhqi awm.
Truth buy, and sell not, Wisdom, and instruction, and understanding,
24 Thlakdyng a pa taw awmhlynaak ak sang soeih ta kawm saw, capak cyi ak canaak ing ak khanawh zeelnaak ta kaw.
The father of the righteous rejoiceth greatly, The begetter of the wise rejoiceth in him.
25 Na nu ingkaw na pa kawzeel sak lah, nang anik canaak kung awmhlynaak ing awm seh nyng.
Rejoice doth thy father and thy mother, Yea, she that bare thee is joyful.
26 Ka capa, nak kawlung ni pe lah, ka khawsak na mik ing hat lah seh.
Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine eyes watch my ways.
27 A pum ak zawi nu taw lawkkhqawng dung amyihna, samphaih nu taw ak ceek lawkkhqawng amyihna awm hy.
For a harlot [is] a deep ditch, And a strange woman [is] a strait pit.
28 Qukai amyihna thlang qym nawh, pakhqi ce amak ypawm thlangna coeng sak khqi hy.
She also, as catching prey, lieth in wait, And the treacherous among men she increaseth.
29 Unu khaw ak map? Unu kaw ak see? Unu hqo ak hu? Unu ak patang? Unu ak leem? Unu amik ak ling?
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? who hath plaint? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
30 Zuukung thawh ta dam nawh, zuu ing ak thoek qu ak aw thlangkhqi ni.
Those tarrying by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine.
31 Ak ling zuu, boengloeng khanawh phyl nawh, plaiplek ing awiqawng khui ak kun koeh toek.
See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright.
32 A dytnaak benawh khqui amyihna thlang cuk nawh khqui sy ak ngaan ing myih hy.
Its latter end — as a serpent it biteth, And as a basilisk it stingeth.
33 Na mik ak changchangna dai nawh, nak kaw khawhang sak kaw.
Thine eyes see strange women, And thy heart speaketh perverse things.
34 Tuicunli sawawh ak ip amyihna awm kawm tik saw, laawng hizannaak tung lingawh ak ip amyihna awm kawp ti.
And thou hast been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down on the top of a mast.
35 Ni vyk u seiawm am tlo nawh, ni phawp useiawm am za nyng! Kang hqyng law tlaih awhtaw ka aawk hamkawi ak chang hu tlaih bit kawng,” ti kawp ti.
'They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake — I seek it yet again!'
