Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking smell: so does a little folly him that is in reputation for 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 is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
Aka cueih kah lungbuei tah a bantang la mael tih aka ang kah lungbuei tah a banvoei la mael.
3 Yes also, when he that is a fool walks by the way, his wisdom fails him, and he says to every one 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 spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offenses.
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 which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler:
Boei mikhmuh lamloh tohtamaeh la aka thoeng ka hmuh te khomik hmuiah a thae la om.
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
Pavai te hmuensang la muep a khueh vaengah hlanglen tah mathoe la kho a sak.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
Marhang dongkah sal rhoek ka hmuh vaengah mangpa rhoek tah diklai ah sal bangla pongpa uh.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaks an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Rhom aka too khaw a khuila cungku tih vongtung aka phae khaw rhul loh amah a tuk.
9 Whoever removes stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that splits wood shall be endangered thereby.
Lungto aka puen khaw amah ah a kothae tih thing aka phaek khaw te nen te tohngah saeh.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Thi te duu tih a ha te a haat pawt atah thadueng khaw vak. Tedae rhoeikhangnah tah cueihnah long ni a khui sak.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
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 will swallow up himself.
Hlang cueih ka dongkah ol tah mikdaithen om tih aka ang kah hmuilai long tah amah a dolh.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
A ka dongkah ol tongnah te lunghmangnah la om tih a ka dongkah ol bawtnah khaw boethae angvawknah la om.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell 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 labor of the foolish wearies every one of them, because he knows not how to go 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, when your king is a child, and your princes eat 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, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, 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 By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through.
Ngaknah lamloh tul pae hmawn tih kut poemnah lamloh im cae.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry: but money answers all things.
Nueihbu ham buh a khueh tih misurtui loh hingnah ko a hoe sak. Tedae tangka loh a cungkuem te a doo.
20 Curse not the king, no not in your thought; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
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.
