हितोपदेश 23
1 तँ खानलाई शासकसित बस्दा तेरो सामु राखिएको खानेकुरालाई होसियारीपूर्वक अवलोकन गर् ।
If thou sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before thee:
2 तँ धेरै खाने खन्चुवा हो भने तेरो घाँटीमा चक्कु राख् ।
and apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such [meats]: but if thou art very insatiable,
3 तिनको स्वादिष्ट खानेकुराको लालसा नगर्, किनकि यो झुटको खाना हो ।
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 धन-सम्पत्ति कमाउन धेरै नघोट्टी । कहिले बन्द गर्ने भनी थाहा पाउन बुद्धिमानी बन् ।
If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy wisdom.
5 के यसमाथि तेरो आँखाको ज्योति चम्कन दिन्छस्? यो बितेर जाने छ, किनकि गरुडका झैँ यसका पखेटाहरू पलाउने छन् र यो आकाशमा उडेर जाने छ ।
If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 दुष्ट आँखा भएको मानिसको भोजन नखा, र त्यसको स्वादिष्ट खानेकुराको लालसा नगर् ।
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire thou his meats:
7 किनकि त्यो भोजनको मूल्य गिन्ती गर्ने मानिस हो । त्यसले भन्छ, “खाऊ र पिऊ ।” तर त्यसको हृदय तँसित हुँदैन ।
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him:
8 तैँले खाएको थोरै खानेकुरा पनि तैँले बान्ता गर्ने छस्, र तैँले तेरो तारिफलाई त्यसै खेर जान दिनेछस् ।
for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.
9 मूर्खले सुन्ने गरी नबोल्, किनकि त्यसले तेरा वचनहरूको बुद्धिलाई तुच्छ ठान्ने छ ।
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words.
10 प्राचीन साँध-सिमानाको ढुङ्गो नहटा वा अनाथहरूको खेतबारी नमिच् ।
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 किनभने तिनीहरूका उद्धारकर्ता शक्तिशाली हुनुहुन्छ, र उहाँले तेरो विरुद्धमा तिनीहरूको मुद्दा लड्नुहुने छ ।
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with thee.
12 तेरो हृदयलाई अर्तीतिर लगा, र तेरा कानलाई ज्ञानका वचनहरूमा लगा ।
Apply thine heart to instruction, and prepare thine ears for words of discretion.
13 बच्चाबाट अर्तीलाई नरोक्, किनकि तैँले त्यसलाई अनुशासनमा राखिस् भने त्यो मर्ने छैन ।
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 हे मेरो छोरो, तेरो हृदय बुद्धिमानी छ भने मेरो हृदय पनि प्रसन्न हुने छ ।
Son, if thy heart be wise, thou shalt also gladden my heart;
16 तेरो ओठले जे ठिक छ, त्यही बोल्दा मेरो अन्तस्करण रमाउने छ ।
and thy lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 तेरो हृदयलाई पापीहरूको ईर्ष्या गर्न नदे, तर दिनैभरि परमप्रभुको भयमा लागिराख् ।
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 निश्चय नै एउटा भविष्य छ, र तेरो आशा निराश हुने छैन ।
For if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; and thine hope shall not be removed.
19 हे मेरो छोरो, सुन् र बुद्धिमान् हो, अनि तेरो हृदयलाई सुमार्गमा लगा ।
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of thine heart.
20 मातेकाहरू वा धेरै मासु हुसर्नेहरूसित सङ्गत नगर्,
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 किनकि मतवाला र घिचुवाहरू गरिब बन्छन्, र यस्तो लट्ठ्याइले तिनीहरूलाई झुत्रे बनाउँछ ।
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 तँलाई जन्म दिने बुबाको कुरा सुन्, र तेरी आमा वृद्ध हुँदा उनलाई तुच्छ नठान् ।
Hearken, [my] son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not [thy mother] because she is grown old.
23 सत्यलाई किन्, र त्यसलाई नबेच् । बुद्धि, अर्ती र समझशक्तिलाई किन् ।
24 धर्मात्माको बुबा अत्यन्तै आनन्दित हुने छ, र बुद्धिमान् छोरोलाई जन्म दिने मानिस त्यसमा प्रसन्न हुने छ ।
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 तेरा बुबा र आमा प्रसन्न होऊन्, अनि तँलाई जन्म दिने आनन्दित होऊन् ।
Let thy father and thy mother rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be glad.
26 हे मेरो छोरो, मलाई तेरो हृदय दे, र तेरा आँखाले मेरा मार्गहरू हेरून् ।
[My] son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 किनभने वेश्या एउटा गहिरो खाडल हो, र अनैतिक स्त्री एउटा साँघुरो इनार हो ।
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 त्यो चोरझैँ ढुकिबस्छे, र त्यसले मानिसहरूका बिचमा विश्वासघातीहरूको सङ्ख्या बढाउँछे ।
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 कोसित कष्ट छ? कोसित शोक छ? कोसित कलह छ? कोसित गुनासो छ? कोसित विनाकारण चोट छ? कसका आँखा राताराता छन्?
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 तिनीहरूकै जो धेरै मद्य पिउँछन्, जसले मिश्रित मद्य पिउँछन् ।
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 मद्य रातो हुँदा, कचौरामा त्यसको फिँज उठ्दा र त्यो सहजै उँधो जाँदा त्यसलाई नहेर् ।
For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 अन्त्यमा त्यसले सर्पले झैँ डस्छ, र गोमनले झैँ विष हालिदिन्छ ।
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 तेरा आँखाहरूले अनौठा कुराहरू देख्ने छन्, र तेरो मनले टेडा कुराहरू व्यक्त गर्ने छन् ।
Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 तँ महासमुद्रमा सुतिरहने व्यक्तिझैँ वा मस्तुलको डोरीको मास्तिर बस्नेझैँ हुने छ ।
And thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 तैँले भन्ने छस्, “तिनीहरू मलाई हिर्काए, तर मलाई चोट लागेन ।” तिनीहरूले मलाई पिटे, तर मलाई यसको अनुभूति भएन । म कहिले ब्युँझने छु? म अर्को चुस्की खोज्ने छु ।”
And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
