Phungdeikung 12
1 Na nawnae a hninnaw dawk na kasakkung pouk loe. Rucatnae a hninnaw a pha teh kai dawk a nawmnae awmhoeh toe telah na deinae kumnaw a pha hoehnahlan,
And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 Kanî hoi angnae, thapa hoi âsinaw a mawm hoehnahlan, khorak hnukkhu tâmainaw bout a tho hoehnahlan, Bawipa pouk loe.
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 Hote atueng dawk imkaringnaw a tâsue vaiteh, athakaawme taminaw a thayoun awh han. Cakang kaphawmnaw ayoun dawkvah, a kâhat awh han. Hlalangaw dawk hoi ka khen e taminaw, a mitmawm awh han.
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,
4 Cakang phawm lawk rek a cai hoeh torei teh, lam teng e longkhanaw teh khan lah ao han. Tava lawk a thai torei teh amom a thaw awh han, la ka sak e tanglanaw abuemlah tha a tawn awh han.
and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 Taminaw ni hmuenrasang hoi lam dawk takikathonaw a taki awh han. Almond kung ni a pei han. Samtong teh amahoima a ri han. Bangkongtetpawiteh, tami teh yungyoe e im koe lah cei lahun lah o dawkvah, ka khui e taminaw ni lam dawk a kâhei awh han.
they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets; )
6 Ngun dingyin a thouknae, suimanang a reknae tuiphuek koe tuium kâbawngnae, tui sawnnae rui thawknae, atueng ka phat han.
— before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern;
7 Hatnae atueng dawk vaiphu teh a thonae talai koelah bout a ban vaiteh, muitha teh na kapoekung Cathut koe bout a ban han.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.
8 Ahrawnghrang doeh, hnopueng teh ahrawnghrang doeh telah phungdeikung ni a ti.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.
9 Phungdeikung teh a lungang dawkvah, tamihunaw, lungang thoumthainae ouk a cangkhai. A pouklak e phungdeilawknaw a noumcai teh a thut.
And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10 Phungdeikung ni thai kahawi e lawklung a tawng teh a thut e lawklung teh kathuem e lawk, lawkkatang doeh.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.
11 Tami lungkaang e lawk teh sâw hoi thoseh, tukhoumkung kalen buet touh koe a hnawng teh tamihu hemnae sumtaboung hoi thoseh a kâvan.
The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.
12 Hothloilah, ka capa hot patet e lawk lahoi na dei pouh e hah tarawi loe. Ca lahoi ka thun nakunghai baw thai mahoeh. Ca panki lai hawi khetnae ni na tawn sak.
And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Ahnoungpoung e lawk teh, Cathut taket nateh kâpoelawknaw hah tarawi haw. Hethateh, tami pueng e thaw lah ao.
Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
14 Cathut ni kahawi hno thoseh, kahawihoehe hno thoseh, hro e hnonaw pueng hoi hnocawngca lawk a ceng han.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
