< Ecclesiastes 7 >

1 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
A ming te tah situi then lakah ah then tih dueknah hnin he a cun khohnin lakah then.
2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
Nguekcoinah im la caeh te buhkoknah im la caeh lakah then. He tah hlang boeih kah a bawtnah coeng tih aka hing loh a lungbuei ah dueh saeh.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
Konoinah he nueihbu lakah then. Maelhmai thaenah long ni lungbuei a voelphoeng sak.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Aka cueih kah lungbuei tah nguekcoinah im ah dae aka ang kah lungbuei tah kohoenah im ah om.
5 [It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Aka cueih kah tluungnah hnatun he tah aka ang laa aka hnatun hlang lakah then.
6 As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
Am lae kah hling ol bangla aka ang kah nueihbu khaw om. Te dongah he khaw a honghi ni.
7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
Hnaemtaeknah loh hlangcueih a yan sak tih kutdoe loh lungbuei a poo sak.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
Ol bawtnah he a tongnah lakah then. Aka ueh kah mueihla he aka oek kah mueihla lakah then.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
Huesak hamla na mueihla neh let sak boeh. Konoinah he aka ang kah rhang dongah ni a. kol.
10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
“Balae tih hnukbuet kah a tue aka om te tahae kah lakah a then la a om?” ti boeh. Te bang te cueihnah neh na dawt moenih.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
Cueihnah tah rho la then tih khomik aka hmu ham khaw hoeikhang.
12 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
Cueihnah hlipkhup ah om he tangka hlipkhup kah om banghui ni. Tedae mingnah he tah rhoeikhangnah la om tih cueihnah long tah a kungmah te a hing sak.
13 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
Pathen kah bibi te hmu lah. Amah loh a khun sak te dueng hamla aka noeng te unim?
14 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
A then tue vaengah tah a then la om. Tedae a yoethae tue vaengkah khaw hmu. He khaw dumlai dongah Pathen loh voeivang ah a khueh. Te daengah ni hlang loh a hnukah te pakhat khaw ahmu pawt eh.
15 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
Kamah kah a honghi tue vaengah a cungkuem te ka hmuh. Amah kah duengnah dongah aka paltham hlang dueng om tih a boethae neh aka nguel halang khaw om.
16 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.
Aka dueng koek la om boel lamtah hoeikhangnah aih ham khaw cueih boeh. Balae tih namah na phae uh?
17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.
Muep poehlip boel lamtah lunghmang la om boeh. Balae tih namah tue pawt vaengah na duek eh?
18 It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
He he na tuuk vaengah na kut te ke lamloh na hlah pawt ham then. Pathen aka rhih ham tah a cungkuem te a noeng.
19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Cueihnah long tah aka cueih te khopuei kah aka om boei parha lakah khaw a tanglue sak.
20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
Diklai hman ah hnothen a saii tih aka tholh pawh hlang dueng a om moenih.
21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Ol a thui uh boeih te khaw na lungbuei pae boeh. Te pawt koinih na sal loh namah n'tap te na ya ve.
22 For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
Namah loh hlang tloe na tap te na lungbuei loh a voei a yet khaw a ming.
23 All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
He boeih he cueihnah neh ka noemcai tih, “Ka cueih eh?,” ka ti dae kai lamloh lakhla laklo.
24 [That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
Te tla a om te khaw hla coeng tih a dung lakah dung coeng. Te te aka hmu te unim?
25 I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
Kamah neh ka lungbuei khaw, uepnah koikah halangnah neh anglatnah, lunghmangnah te ming ham neh yaam hamla, cueihnah neh poeknah tlap hamla ka maelh.
26 And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
A lungbuei te tluum neh soh la a tung tih a kut dongah pinyennah aka khueh huta he dueknah lakah khahing la ka hmuh. Pathen mikhmuh ah aka then tah anih aeng lamloh loeih suidae aka tholh tah anih loh a tuuk ni.
27 Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
So lah he, thuituenkung loh a thui bangla poeknah hmuh hamla pakhat soah pakhat ka phoel.
28 which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
Te te ka hinglu loh a tlap pueng dae ka hmuh moenih. Thawngkhat khuiah tongpa pakhat ka hmuh dae te boeih lakli ah huta ka hmuh moenih.
29 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
He bueng mah so lah. Pathen loh hlang he a thuem la a saii coeng dae amih loh phuengnah muep a tlap uh te ka hmuh.

< Ecclesiastes 7 >