Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Kadueh taksae mah hmuihoih tui to hmuisae ah angcoengsak baktih toengah, kamthu khosakhaih mah palunghahaih hoi ahmin kahoih pakoehhaih to amrosak.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
Palungha kami ih palung loe bantang bangah oh, toe kamthu ih palung loe banqoi bangah oh.
3 Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
Ue, kamthu loe lamcaeh naah doeh, amthuhaih to amtueng moe, angmah amthuhaih to minawk boih khaeah thuih.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.
Ukkung mah palung ang phui thuih naah, na ohhaih ahmuen to caeh taak hmah; angdaehahih mah kalen sakpazaehaih to dipsak.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:
Ukkung khae hoiah sakpazaehaih tacawt baktih toengah, ni tlim ah ka hnuk ih hmuen kasae to oh.
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Angraeng mah ahmuen kahnaem ah anghnut naah, kamthu loe kasang ahmuen ah anghnut lat.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.
Angraengnawk khok hoiah amkaeh o naah, tamnanawk mah hrang nuiah angthueng o lat.
8 He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
Qumqai kami loe tangqom thungah krah tih; sipae phrae kami loe pahui mah patuk tih.
9 He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.
Thlung takhoe kami loe nganbawh kana hak tih; thing khuek kami loe ahmaa caa tih.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right.
Caka to kanoe ah taak ai nahaeloe, tha ueng han angaih; toe palunghahaih mah atho ohhaih loklam to hnuksak.
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
Pahui to adoi hoiah na sak cadoeh na patuk tih, lokpunghaih loe amekhaih tidoeh om ai.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.
Palungha kami ih pakha thung hoiah tacawt loknawk loe tahmenhaih to oh, toe kamthu loe angmah ih pahni mah paaeh.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Anih pakha hoi tacawt tangsuek lok loe amthuhaih hoiah amtong, anih ih lokpaeh boenghaih loe kasae amthuhaih ah oh.
14 A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
Kamthu loe lok pung, kami mah angzo han koi hmuen to thui thai ai; anih hmabang ah timaw om tih, tiah mi mah maw thui thai tih?
15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.
Vangpui thungah caehhaih loklam to panoek ai baktih toengah, kamthu toksakhaih mah kaminawk angphosak boih.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
Nawkta ukkung siangpahrang ohhaih prae, khawnthaw ah buh raenghhaih poih sah angraengnawk ohhaih prae, nang loe khosak bing!
17 Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble men, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Khingya han koi kaom imthung takoh hoiah tapen siangpahrang ohhaih prae, mu kanae hmoek ai, tha oh hanah atue phak naah buh kacaa angraengnawk ohhaih prae, nang loe tahamhoih.
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
Thasethaih mah im to hmawnsak; bantha set pongah im loe kho longh.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.
Pahnuih hanah ni poih to sak, mu mah kami poeknawmsak; toe phoisa mah hmuenmae to qan thaih boih.
20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
Siangpahrang to palung thung hoiah doeh pasoih hmah; angraengnawk doeh na iihhaih ahmuen hoiah pasoih hmah; van ih tavaa mah na lok to sin ueloe, pakhraeh kaom tavaa mah thui pae moeng tih.
