Phungdeikung 7
1 Minhawinae teh hmuitui satui hlak ahawi. Duenae hnin hai khenae hnin hlak bet ahawi.
A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2 Ro im cei e heh pawi koe cei e hlak ahawi. Bangkongtetpawiteh, tami pueng ni ro im vah lam a pâpout awh. Kahring lahun e naw ni hai a lungthin thungvah a pâkuem awh han.
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Panui e hlakvah lungmathoe e bet ahawi. Bangkongtetpawiteh, lungmathoenae ni lungthin bet ahawi sak.
Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart may be gladdened.
4 Lungkaangnaw e lungthin teh ro im vah ao. Tamipathunaw e lungthin teh pawi im vah ao.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Tamipathunaw e la sak lawk thai hlakvah, lungkaangnaw e tounnae lawk tarawi e bet ahawi.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Bangkongtetpawiteh, tamipathunaw e panuinae teh hlaam rahim vah pâkhing ka kang e lawk hoi a kâvan. Hot naw hai ahrawnghrang doeh.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity.
7 Atangcalah, rektapnae ni a lungkaangnaw a pathu sak. Tadawngnae ni lungthin a rawk sak.
Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
8 Apoutnae teh kamtawngnae hlak ahawi, a lungkasaw e tami teh a lungkalen e tami hlakvah ahawi.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Lungkhuek han totouh na lungduem sak hanh. Lungkhueknae teh kapathunaw e lungthung vah hmuen ouk a la.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Bangkongmaw yampa e atueng teh atu e atueng hlak ahawi telah na pacei awh hanh. Hottelah na pacei pawiteh lungangnae lahoi pacei e na hoeh.
Say not thou: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?' for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.
11 Lungangnae teh râw patetlah ahawi. Kanî ka hmawt e naw koe hnokahawi a sak.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance, yea, a profit to them that see the sun.
12 Bangkongtetpawiteh, lungangnae ni na rawngkhan, tangka ni hai na rawngkhan thai. Thoumthainae teh banghloimaw aphu ao. Thoumthainae ka coe e tami teh hringnae hai a coe.
For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 Cathut ni hno a sak e hah pouk haw, a longkawi sak e teh apinimaw a palan thai han.
Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?
14 Yawhawinae na coe nah lunghawi awh. Rucatnae na kâhmo nah kâpouk awh. Tami ni ka tho hane kawi a panue nahanlah Cathut ni hawinae hoi roedengnae kâletta lah a poe.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15 Ayawmlah ka onae atueng nah hno pueng ka hmu thai toe. Tami kalan ni a lannae dawk a sung e tie hoi, tami kahawihoeh ni ahawihoehnae, dawk a hringsaw e hai thoseh ka hmu.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.
16 Hloi lan hanh, hloi lungang hanh. Bangkongmaw nama e hawinae hah raphoe hanelah na ngai.
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Hloi mathout hanh, hloi pathu hanh. Bangkongmaw atueng a pha hoehnahlan due hane na ngai.
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Hete lawk heh pâkuem hanelah ahawi. Thada hanh, Cathut ka taket e tami teh hno pueng dawk hoi a hlout han.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of the one; yea, also from the other withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God shall discharge himself of them all.
19 Khopui thung kaawm e ukkung hra touh hlak, tami lungkaang buet touh e lungangnae a tha aohnawn.
Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20 Yon nuen laipalah hnokahawi ka sak e tami a nuen kahawi e talai van buet touh hai awm hoeh.
For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Ayâ ni a dei e pueng hah pâkuem hanh. Hottelah na tetpawiteh, na san e thoebo lawk na thai han.
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
22 Nama roeroe ni atuhoitu, ayânaw thoe na bo e hah na lung hoi na panue.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Hetnaw pueng heh, kai ni lungangnae hoi ka noumcai toe. Ka lungang han toe ka ti navah, lungangnae hoi hoe ka kâhla.
All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.
24 Kahlat ni teh kadung poung e hno hah apinimaw a tawng vaiteh a hmu thai han.
That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
25 Lungangnae hoi akongnaw hah ka tawng teh panue hanelah thoseh, povangtanae hoi pathunae panue nahanelah thoseh, ka lung ni a kâyawm toe.
I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;
26 Tangkhek hoi tamlawk lah kaawm e napui e lungthin teh duenae hlak bet akhahnawn tie ka panue. Cathut a lung ka youk lah kaawm e ni duengdoeh hote napui kut dawk hoi a hlout han. Yon ouk ka sak e teh a kâman han.
and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Phungdeikung ti e teh kai ni ka tawng teh ka hmu hoeh rae hah hmu hanelah buet touh hnukkhu buet touh a pâphue.
Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, adding one thing to another, to find out the account;
28 Tongpa thong touh thung dawk buet touh ka hmu toe. Napui thong touh thung buet touh boehai ka hmawt hoeh.
which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Kai ni ka hmu e buet touh teh, Cathut ni tami hah tamikalan lah a sak ei teh, taminaw ni moikapap e pouknae hah a tawng awh.
Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
