Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
Ukkung ingqawi buh ai haih hamna nang ngawih awh, namik huh awhkaw ak awm ce ak leekna toek.
2 and cut down if you have a big appetite.
Awk ai awh ak kamvana na awm awhtaw na hawngawh cimca toen.
3 Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
Thailatnaak buh ni ti sim nawh a tuinaak doeng koeh nai.
4 Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
Boei na ngaih yyt awh lynaak koeh toen, yh thai hamna na cyih ta.
5 It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
Ak qeeng thai khawhawh koeh ly, ang hlaa tawi nawh ding valh kaw, Huu khanna ang ding amyihna.
6 Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
Thlak yyt a buh koeh ai nawh, a buh tui ant tui koeh nai.
7 for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
Ak poek amyih koep nani a awmna, “Ai hlah, aw hlah,” ti kawm saw; cehlai ak kawlung ing am ti tang kaw.
8 You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
Na buh ai ce laawk kawm tik saw, nak awihleek ce plak kawp ti.
9 Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
Thlakqaw ang zaakna awi koeh kqawn, nak awicyihkhqi ce husit kaw.
10 Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
Syn awhkawng qii lung ami khoeng koeh thoeih nawh, cadah a khawhyn koeh cuh pyi.
11 for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
Amingmih ak dyihpyikung taw ak thamah ni, anih ing na venawh awi kqawn law kaw.
12 Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
Cawngpyinaak benna nak kawlung pe nawh, nang haa ing zaaknaak benna hawi.
13 Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
Nasen toel koeh hqeh, cumcik ing vyk tik seiawm am thi kaw.
Cumcik ing na vyk awhtaw a hqingnaak cei khui awhkawng plawk kawp ti. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
Ka capa, nak kaw a cyih awhtaw kak kaw zeel soeih soeih kaw.
16 I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
Oeih, nam kha awhkawng awihthym ak cawnawh kak kaw awmhly soeih kaw.
17 Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
Nak kawlung ing thlakche koeh oet seitaw, Khawsa kqihchahnaak doeng mah nak kawlung ing poek lah.
18 for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
Kutdo awm law ngai kawm saw, nang ngaihuunaak ing am qeeng ti kaw.
19 Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
Ka capa, ngai nawh, cyi lah, lam ak thym awh nak kawlung sawi lah.
20 Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
Zuuk awkhqi ven ingkaw buh meh ak sawkkhqi venawh koeh boei;
21 For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
Zuuk quikhqi ingkaw buh meh ak sawkkhqi taw khawdeng kawm uh.
22 Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
Na pa, anik canaak ak awi ce pawm nawh, na nu ce a nucawng lawawh koeh thekha na.
23 Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Awihthym ce thlai nawh koeh zawi voel; cyihnaak, cawngpyinaak, zaaksimnaakkhqi awm.
24 Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
Thlakdyng a pa taw awmhlynaak ak sang soeih ta kawm saw, capak cyi ak canaak ing ak khanawh zeelnaak ta kaw.
25 Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
Na nu ingkaw na pa kawzeel sak lah, nang anik canaak kung awmhlynaak ing awm seh nyng.
26 My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
Ka capa, nak kawlung ni pe lah, ka khawsak na mik ing hat lah seh.
27 A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
A pum ak zawi nu taw lawkkhqawng dung amyihna, samphaih nu taw ak ceek lawkkhqawng amyihna awm hy.
28 Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
Qukai amyihna thlang qym nawh, pakhqi ce amak ypawm thlangna coeng sak khqi hy.
29 Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
Unu khaw ak map? Unu kaw ak see? Unu hqo ak hu? Unu ak patang? Unu ak leem? Unu amik ak ling?
30 —those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
Zuukung thawh ta dam nawh, zuu ing ak thoek qu ak aw thlangkhqi ni.
31 Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
Ak ling zuu, boengloeng khanawh phyl nawh, plaiplek ing awiqawng khui ak kun koeh toek.
32 In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
A dytnaak benawh khqui amyihna thlang cuk nawh khqui sy ak ngaan ing myih hy.
33 You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
Na mik ak changchangna dai nawh, nak kaw khawhang sak kaw.
34 You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
Tuicunli sawawh ak ip amyihna awm kawm tik saw, laawng hizannaak tung lingawh ak ip amyihna awm kawp ti.
35 “People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
Ni vyk u seiawm am tlo nawh, ni phawp useiawm am za nyng! Kang hqyng law tlaih awhtaw ka aawk hamkawi ak chang hu tlaih bit kawng,” ti kawp ti.
