Ecclesiastes 10
1 As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Dueknah pilyang loh thungnom situi thaa te a rhim sak bangla vel lunghmangnah vik te cueihnah lakah khaw, thangpomnah lakah khaw nul.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
Aka cueih kah lungbuei tah a bantang la mael tih aka ang kah lungbuei tah a banvoei la mael.
3 Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
Longpuei ah pataeng lunghmang tah lunghmang bangla a lungbuei a talh hil pongpa tih a lunghmang te a cungkuem taengah a thui.
4 If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
Aka taemrhai kah mueihla loh nang taengah pai mai cakhaw na hmuen phawt boeh. Hoeihnah long ni tholhnah a len khaw a duem sak.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
Boei mikhmuh lamloh tohtamaeh la aka thoeng ka hmuh te khomik hmuiah a thae la om.
6 Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
Pavai te hmuensang la muep a khueh vaengah hlanglen tah mathoe la kho a sak.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
Marhang dongkah sal rhoek ka hmuh vaengah mangpa rhoek tah diklai ah sal bangla pongpa uh.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Rhom aka too khaw a khuila cungku tih vongtung aka phae khaw rhul loh amah a tuk.
9 The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
Lungto aka puen khaw amah ah a kothae tih thing aka phaek khaw te nen te tohngah saeh.
10 If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
Thi te duu tih a ha te a haat pawt atah thadueng khaw vak. Tedae rhoeikhangnah tah cueihnah long ni a khui sak.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
Calthai a om pawt ah rhul loh a tuk atah cal kung ham rhoeikhangnah moenih.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
Hlang cueih ka dongkah ol tah mikdaithen om tih aka ang kah hmuilai long tah amah a dolh.
13 The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
A ka dongkah ol tongnah te lunghmangnah la om tih a ka dongkah ol bawtnah khaw boethae angvawknah la om.
14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
Lunghmang tah ol pung tih metla a om khaw hlang loh ming pawh. A hnuk ah metla a om ham khaw a taengah ulong a thui pah voel?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
Hlang ang kah thakthaenah loh amah a kohnue sak tih khopuei la caeh ham khaw ming pawh.
16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
Na manghai khaw camoe tih na mangpa rhoek loh mincang ah nah a caak uh te, khohmuen nang ngawn tah khomap.
17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
Na manghai te hlangcoelh capa van tih, na mangpa rhoek long khaw rhuihahnah ham pawt tih thayung thamal hamla a tue vaengah aka ca khohmuen nang tah na yoethen.
18 Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
Ngaknah lamloh tul pae hmawn tih kut poemnah lamloh im cae.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
Nueihbu ham buh a khueh tih misurtui loh hingnah ko a hoe sak. Tedae tangka loh a cungkuem te a doo.
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
Na cangnah nen khaw manghai te tap boeh. Imkhui kah na thingkong dongah khaw hlanglen te tap boeh. Vaan kah vaa loh ol te khuen vetih ol te a phae loh a kungmah taengah thui ve.
