Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Hminhoihaih loe atho kana hmuihoih tui pongah hoih kue; duekhaih ni loe tapenhaih ni pongah hoih kue.
2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
Buhraenghaih im ah caeh pongah loe kadueh kami im ah caeh to hoih kue; duekhaih loe kaminawk boih hanah boenghaih loklam ah oh pongah, kahing kaminawk mah palung thungah pakuem han angaih.
3 Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Pahnuih pongah palungset to hoih kue; palungsae mikhmai mah poeknawmhaih to khuk.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
Palungha ih palung loe palungsethaih tongh kami im ah oh, toe kamthu ih palung loe kanawm acaenghaih im ah oh.
5 [It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Kamthunawk ih laa to tahngaih pongah loe, palungha kami zoehhaih lok tahngaih to hoih kue.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.
Kamthunawk pahnuihaih lok loe long laom tlim ih hmai tapraek soekhringkung baktiah oh; hae doeh azom pui ni.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Kami pacaekthlaekhaih mah palungha kami to amthusak moe, bokhaih tangqum mah palung amrosak.
8 Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.
Hmuen boenghaih loe amtonghaih pongah hoih kue, amtueng suthaih loe amoek pongah hoih kue.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Karangah palungphui hmah, kamthunawk ih palung thungah loe palungphuihaih to oh.
10 Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Tipongah canghnii ih aninawk loe vaihi thuem ih aninawk pongah hoih kue loe, tiah dueng hmah; to baktih lokduenghaih loe palungha lok na ai ni.
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
Palunghahaih loe qawk baktiah hoih moe, ni hnu kaminawk hanah amekhaih oh.
12 For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
Phoisa loe pakaahaih ah oh baktih toengah, palunghahaih doeh pakaahaih ah oh; toe palunghahaih mah tacawtsak ih amekhaih loe hae ni; palunghahaih tawn kaminawk hanah hinghaih to paek.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?
Sithaw mah sak ih hmuen to poek ah; anih mah angkawnsak tangcae ih hmuen to mi mah maw patoeng thai tih?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
Atue hoih li naah anghoe ah; toe atue set naah khopoek ah; kami mah hmabang angzo han koi hmuen to panoek thai han ai ah, Sithaw mah taham sae kahoih maeto pacoeng maeto phaksak.
15 All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.
Azom pui ah ka hing nathung hmuennawk boih to ka hnuk boeh; katoeng kami loe a toenghaih pongah duek moe, kasae kami loe sethaih hoiah saning kasawk ah hing lat.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Toeng hmoek hmah loe, palungha hmoek hmah; tipongah nangmah hoi nangmah to nam ro han loe?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Sae hmoek hmah loe, kamthu baktiah doeh om hmah; tipongah atue pha ai naah na duek han loe?
18 [It is] good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
Pathlong ving ai ah, patawn caeng han kaom hmuen maeto loe hae ni; ue, Sithaw zii kami loe hmuennawk boih thung hoiah loih tih.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city.
Palungha kami maeto loe palunghahaih hoiah, vangpui thungah kaom thacak kami hato pongah thacak kue.
20 For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Zaehaih sah vai ai, kahoih hmuen khue kasah, katoeng kami hae long nuiah mi doeh om ai.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Minawk mah thuih ih lok boih to tahngai hmah; to tiah na sak nahaeloe na tamna mah ang padaeng ih lok to na thaih moeng tih.
22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Nang doeh minawk kasae na thuih toeng, tiah na palung mah panoek.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
Hae hmuennawk hae palunghahaih hoiah ka tanoek boih boeh; palunghahaih hoiah ka koep han boeh, tiah ka thuih, toe palunghahaih to ka phak vawt.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Kangthla parai hmuen, kathuk parai hmuen to mi mah maw hnu thai tih?
25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:
Palunghahaih hoiah ohhaih takung to pakrong moe, panoek thaih pacoengah, kasae kaminawk amthuhaih hoi kamthunawk amthuhaih panoek thai hanah, ka poekhaih palungthin to ka paqoi.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Dongh hoi palok baktiah poekhaih katawn, qui hoiah kakom thaih nongpata loe duekhaih pongah khaa kue, tiah ka panoek; Sithaw zii kami loe anih khae hoiah loih tih, toe kazae kami loe anih khaeah aman tih.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:
Khenah, patukkung mah ka hnuk ih hmuen loe hae tiah oh; ka pakrong moe, ka hnu ai ih hmuen hnuk thai hanah, maeto pacoeng maeto ka pakoep naah,
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
nongpa sangto thungah kami katoeng maeto ka hnuk, toe nongpatanawk boih thungah katoeng kami maeto doeh ka hnu ai.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Khenah, ka hnuk ih hmuen maeto loe, Sithaw mah kami to katoengah sak, toe kaminawk loe pop parai hmuen to sak hanah pakrong o lat.
