< Proverbs 23 >

1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Ukkung ingqawi buh ai haih hamna nang ngawih awh, namik huh awhkaw ak awm ce ak leekna toek.
2 For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
Awk ai awh ak kamvana na awm awhtaw na hawngawh cimca toen.
3 Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
Thailatnaak buh ni ti sim nawh a tuinaak doeng koeh nai.
4 Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
Boei na ngaih yyt awh lynaak koeh toen, yh thai hamna na cyih ta.
5 When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
Ak qeeng thai khawhawh koeh ly, ang hlaa tawi nawh ding valh kaw, Huu khanna ang ding amyihna.
6 Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
Thlak yyt a buh koeh ai nawh, a buh tui ant tui koeh nai.
7 For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Ak poek amyih koep nani a awmna, “Ai hlah, aw hlah,” ti kawm saw; cehlai ak kawlung ing am ti tang kaw.
8 Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
Na buh ai ce laawk kawm tik saw, nak awihleek ce plak kawp ti.
9 Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
Thlakqaw ang zaakna awi koeh kqawn, nak awicyihkhqi ce husit kaw.
10 Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
Syn awhkawng qii lung ami khoeng koeh thoeih nawh, cadah a khawhyn koeh cuh pyi.
11 For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.
Amingmih ak dyihpyikung taw ak thamah ni, anih ing na venawh awi kqawn law kaw.
12 Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
Cawngpyinaak benna nak kawlung pe nawh, nang haa ing zaaknaak benna hawi.
13 Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Nasen toel koeh hqeh, cumcik ing vyk tik seiawm am thi kaw.
14 Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (Sheol h7585)
Cumcik ing na vyk awhtaw a hqingnaak cei khui awhkawng plawk kawp ti. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Ka capa, nak kaw a cyih awhtaw kak kaw zeel soeih soeih kaw.
16 And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.
Oeih, nam kha awhkawng awihthym ak cawnawh kak kaw awmhly soeih kaw.
17 Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
Nak kawlung ing thlakche koeh oet seitaw, Khawsa kqihchahnaak doeng mah nak kawlung ing poek lah.
18 For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
Kutdo awm law ngai kawm saw, nang ngaihuunaak ing am qeeng ti kaw.
19 Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
Ka capa, ngai nawh, cyi lah, lam ak thym awh nak kawlung sawi lah.
20 Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
Zuuk awkhqi ven ingkaw buh meh ak sawkkhqi venawh koeh boei;
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
Zuuk quikhqi ingkaw buh meh ak sawkkhqi taw khawdeng kawm uh.
22 Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be old.
Na pa, anik canaak ak awi ce pawm nawh, na nu ce a nucawng lawawh koeh thekha na.
23 Buy the truth and sell it not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Awihthym ce thlai nawh koeh zawi voel; cyihnaak, cawngpyinaak, zaaksimnaakkhqi awm.
24 The father of the righteous will be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
Thlakdyng a pa taw awmhlynaak ak sang soeih ta kawm saw, capak cyi ak canaak ing ak khanawh zeelnaak ta kaw.
25 Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
Na nu ingkaw na pa kawzeel sak lah, nang anik canaak kung awmhlynaak ing awm seh nyng.
26 Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch my ways.
Ka capa, nak kawlung ni pe lah, ka khawsak na mik ing hat lah seh.
27 For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
A pum ak zawi nu taw lawkkhqawng dung amyihna, samphaih nu taw ak ceek lawkkhqawng amyihna awm hy.
28 She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she increaseth the treacherous among men.
Qukai amyihna thlang qym nawh, pakhqi ce amak ypawm thlangna coeng sak khqi hy.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Unu khaw ak map? Unu kaw ak see? Unu hqo ak hu? Unu ak patang? Unu ak leem? Unu amik ak ling?
30 They that tarry late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
Zuukung thawh ta dam nawh, zuu ing ak thoek qu ak aw thlangkhqi ni.
31 Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
Ak ling zuu, boengloeng khanawh phyl nawh, plaiplek ing awiqawng khui ak kun koeh toek.
32 At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
A dytnaak benawh khqui amyihna thlang cuk nawh khqui sy ak ngaan ing myih hy.
33 Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
Na mik ak changchangna dai nawh, nak kaw khawhang sak kaw.
34 And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.
Tuicunli sawawh ak ip amyihna awm kawm tik saw, laawng hizannaak tung lingawh ak ip amyihna awm kawp ti.
35 “They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
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.

< Proverbs 23 >