Ecclesiastes 10
1 As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Kâhluk e hmuitui hah bitsei ro ni a hmuikawk sak e patetlah, pathunae titca e ni a lungkaang e hoi bari kaawm e tami hah hot boiboe lah ao sak.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
Tami lungkaang e a lungthin teh amae aranglae kut dawk ao. Tamipathu e a lungthin teh avoilae kut dawk ao.
3 Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
Tamipathu teh lam a cei lahun nah pouknae a tawn hoeh dawkvah, kai teh tamipathu doeh telah tami pueng koe ouk a dei.
4 If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
Bawi buet touh ni nang koe a lungphuen pawiteh, nama e hmuen cettakhai hanh. Panguepnae ni yon kalen e hai ouk a roum sak.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
Bawi ni a payon e kecu dawk kanî rahim vah hnokahawi hoeh ka hmu e teh,
6 Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
kapathunaw ni a rasangnae koe, ka tangrengnaw ni a rahnoumnae koe a tahung awh e,
7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
sannaw ni marang a kâcui awh teh, bawinaw ni sannaw patetlah khok hoi a cei awh e hah ka hmu.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Tangkom ka tai e tami teh hote tangkom dawk a bo han. Takha ka raphoe e tami teh tahrun ni a khue han.
9 The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
Talungnaw ka takhoe e tami teh ama a ratet han, thing ka tâtueng tami haiyah hmâtanca hoi ao han.
10 If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
Cakâ a hâ a kim nah na kata hoeh pawiteh, tha hoe patung han. Thoumthainae ni tânae hoi yawhawinae a coe sak.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
Ân hoehnahlan tahrun ni tami khuek pawiteh, Taânkasinnaw teh banghai hawinae awm hoeh.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
Tami lungkaang e lawk teh a radip. Hatei, tamipathu e pahni teh amahoima a kâpayawp thai.
13 The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
Lawkdei a kamtawng nah pathunae lah a o, apoutnae koe lah teh ka mathout poung e pathunae lah ao.
14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
Tamipathu teh lawk apap. Hateiteh, kaawm hane hno tami ni dei thai awh hoeh. Ahnie a hnuklah bangtelamaw a tho han tie apimaw ka dei thai.
15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
Tamipathunaw teh khothung a cei awh han e lamthung pateng a panue awh hoeh dawkvah, ahnimae kâyawmnae teh ayâ patang sak.
16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
Camo rae siangpahrang ni a uknaeram teh, Ukkungnaw ni amom patenghai a ngai patetlah a canei dawkvah yawthoenae lah ao.
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 ram dawk e siangpahrang teh ka talue e a miphun lah ao dawkvah, ukkungnaw ni yamuhrinae laipalah thao nahanelah atueng khoe e dawk catnet pawiteh yawhawinae lah o.
18 Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
Ekvoi pangak dawkvah lemphu a hmawn thai kut hoi pathoup hoehpawiteh kho a yu thai.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
Nawm nahanelah pawi ouk to awh. Misur ni hai na nawm sak thai. Tangka ni bangpueng a sak thai.
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 lungthin hoi siangpahrang hah thoebo hanh. Na inae hmuen koehai kacue e hah thoebo hanh. Kalvan kamleng e tava ni hote lawk hah a kamlengkhai han. A kamleng lahun nah hote tava ni hote kong hah a pathang han.
