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,
Remember also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, '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.
While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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 that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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.
Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
6 Ngun dingyin a thouknae, suimanang a reknae tuiphuek koe tuium kâbawngnae, tui sawnnae rui thawknae, atueng ka phat han.
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
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 returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
8 Ahrawnghrang doeh, hnopueng teh ahrawnghrang doeh telah phungdeikung ni a ti.
Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
9 Phungdeikung teh a lungang dawkvah, tamihunaw, lungang thoumthainae ouk a cangkhai. A pouklak e phungdeilawknaw a noumcai teh a thut.
And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
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 pleasing words, and, written [by] the 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.
Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by 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 further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath 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.
The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, 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 every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
