Cingthuilawk 26
1 Kawmpoi e tadamtui hoi canganae kho patetlah, tamipathu hoi barinae kamcu hoeh.
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
2 Kamleng rumram e pusu hoi pingpit patetlah, a khuekhaw awm laipalah thoebo e teh api koehai bawt mahoeh.
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 Marang hanelah ruibongpai, la hanelah kammoumrui, tamipathu e keng hanelah bongpai teh a kamcu doeh.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Tamipathu teh a pathunae patetlah pato hanh, hoehpawiteh ama patetlah na awm payon vaih.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
5 Tamipathu teh a pathunae patetlah pato, hoehpawiteh a lungkaang lah kâpouk payon vaih.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 Tamipathu koe lawk ka thui e tami teh amae khok ka tâtueng ni teh rawknae tui ka net e lah ao.
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Khokkhem e khoktakan a kânging hoeh e patetlah, tamipathu e pahni dawk cingthuilawk teh ao.
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Tamipathu bari e teh tâyaicung dawk hluemhluem kawm e patetlah doeh ao.
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 Tamipathunaw ni dei e cingthuilawk teh yamuhri kut dawk ka um e pâkhing hoi a kâvan.
Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Bangpuengpa kasakkung lentoe Cathut ni tamipathu hoi kâtapoe kung aphu a poe.
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
11 Ui ni a palo bout a ca e patetlah tamipathu ni a pathunae hah a kamnue sak.
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
12 Ama pouknae dawk tamilungkaang lah ka kâpouk e na hmu ou. Hote tami koehoi hlak teh tamipathu koehoi ngaihawinae bet aohnawn.
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 Tami pangak ni, lam dawk sendek ao, thongma vah sendek ao telah a ti.
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
14 Tho teh takhang dawk a kâhei e patetlah tami pangak teh ikhun dawk a kâhei.
As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
15 Tami pangak ni rawca a kâyap teh a kâtu hane boehai ngai hoeh.
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 Ka pangak e ni, kahawicalah khopouk thai e tami sari touh hlak ka lunganghnawn telah a kâpouk.
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
17 Yuengyoe cei lahoi ayânaw e kong dawk ka bawk e tami teh ui hnâ ka kuen e hoi a kâvan.
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 Na pacai e doeh na a tihoi, a imri ka dum e tami teh,
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
19 hmaito, pala, duenae hoi ka ka e tamipathu hoi a kâvan.
so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Thing awm hoehpawiteh hmai a roum e patetlah, tamcueklawk deinae awm hoehpawiteh kâyuenae hai a roum.
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
21 Hmaisaan ni hmaisaei a kamtawi sak, thing ni hmai a kak sak e patetlah, kâoun ka ngai e ni kâyuenae a kamtawi sak.
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 Tamcueklawk teh katuipounge rawca patetlah ao teh, von thung a kâen.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
23 Apâhni pâhnan hoi lungthinkathout e tami teh, talai hlaam ngun hoi pâbing e hoi a kâvan.
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 Tami hmuhmanae ka tawn e tami ni a pahni hoi a hro teh, a lung thung dumyennae hah a hro.
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
25 Pahren lahoi, ati ei nakunghai yuem hanh, bangkongtetpawiteh a lungthung vah panuettho e sari touh ao.
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
26 A hmuhmanae hah dumnae lahoi ka hrawk nakunghai, thoenae teh tamimaya ni panuenae koe kamnue sak lah ao han.
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Tangkom kataikung teh a tai e tangkom dawk a bo han, talung kapaletkung koe talung bout a kamlei han.
He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 Laithoe ka dei e ni a rektap e naw hah ouk a hmuhma, oupnae kaphawk ni rawknae a tâcokhai.
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
