Cingthuilawk 26
1 Kawmpoi e tadamtui hoi canganae kho patetlah, tamipathu hoi barinae kamcu hoeh.
Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not fitting for 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, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
3 Marang hanelah ruibongpai, la hanelah kammoumrui, tamipathu e keng hanelah bongpai teh a kamcu doeh.
A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
4 Tamipathu teh a pathunae patetlah pato hanh, hoehpawiteh ama patetlah na awm payon vaih.
Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also 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 be 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.
One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
7 Khokkhem e khoktakan a kânging hoeh e patetlah, tamipathu e pahni dawk cingthuilawk teh ao.
Like the legs of the lame that hang loose, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 Tamipathu bari e teh tâyaicung dawk hluemhluem kawm e patetlah doeh ao.
As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honour to a fool.
9 Tamipathunaw ni dei e cingthuilawk teh yamuhri kut dawk ka um e pâkhing hoi a kâvan.
Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Bangpuengpa kasakkung lentoe Cathut ni tamipathu hoi kâtapoe kung aphu a poe.
As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
11 Ui ni a palo bout a ca e patetlah tamipathu ni a pathunae hah a kamnue sak.
As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who 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 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 sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”
14 Tho teh takhang dawk a kâhei e patetlah tami pangak teh ikhun dawk a kâhei.
As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.
15 Tami pangak ni rawca a kâyap teh a kâtu hane boehai ngai hoeh.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy 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 sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
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’s ears is one who passes by and 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 who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
19 hmaito, pala, duenae hoi ka ka e tamipathu hoi a kâvan.
is the man who deceives his neighbour and says, “Am I not joking?”
20 Thing awm hoehpawiteh hmai a roum e patetlah, tamcueklawk deinae awm hoehpawiteh kâyuenae hai a roum.
For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
21 Hmaisaan ni hmaisaei a kamtawi sak, thing ni hmai a kak sak e patetlah, kâoun ka ngai e ni kâyuenae a kamtawi sak.
As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
22 Tamcueklawk teh katuipounge rawca patetlah ao teh, von thung a kâen.
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.
23 Apâhni pâhnan hoi lungthinkathout e tami teh, talai hlaam ngun hoi pâbing e hoi a kâvan.
Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
24 Tami hmuhmanae ka tawn e tami ni a pahni hoi a hro teh, a lung thung dumyennae hah a hro.
A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbours evil in his heart.
25 Pahren lahoi, ati ei nakunghai yuem hanh, bangkongtetpawiteh a lungthung vah panuettho e sari touh ao.
When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 A hmuhmanae hah dumnae lahoi ka hrawk nakunghai, thoenae teh tamimaya ni panuenae koe kamnue sak lah ao han.
His malice may be concealed by deception, but 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.
Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come 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 hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.
