Phungdeikung 12

1 Na nawnae a hninnaw dawk na kasakkung pouk loe. Rucatnae a hninnaw a pha teh kai dawk a nawmnae awmhoeh toe telah na deinae kumnaw a pha hoehnahlan,

Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 Kanî hoi angnae, thapa hoi âsinaw a mawm hoehnahlan, khorak hnukkhu tâmainaw bout a tho hoehnahlan, Bawipa pouk loe.

before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

3 Hote atueng dawk imkaringnaw a tâsue vaiteh, athakaawme taminaw a thayoun awh han. Cakang kaphawmnaw ayoun dawkvah, a kâhat awh han. Hlalangaw dawk hoi ka khen e taminaw, a mitmawm awh han.

in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,

4 Cakang phawm lawk rek a cai hoeh torei teh, lam teng e longkhanaw teh khan lah ao han. Tava lawk a thai torei teh amom a thaw awh han, la ka sak e tanglanaw abuemlah tha a tawn awh han.

and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 Taminaw ni hmuenrasang hoi lam dawk takikathonaw a taki awh han. Almond kung ni a pei han. Samtong teh amahoima a ri han. Bangkongtetpawiteh, tami teh yungyoe e im koe lah cei lahun lah o dawkvah, ka khui e taminaw ni lam dawk a kâhei awh han.

yea, they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and terrors [shall be] in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Ngun dingyin a thouknae, suimanang a reknae tuiphuek koe tuium kâbawngnae, tui sawnnae rui thawknae, atueng ka phat han.

before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

7 Hatnae atueng dawk vaiphu teh a thonae talai koelah bout a ban vaiteh, muitha teh na kapoekung Cathut koe bout a ban han.

and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

8 Ahrawnghrang doeh, hnopueng teh ahrawnghrang doeh telah phungdeikung ni a ti.

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

9 Phungdeikung teh a lungang dawkvah, tamihunaw, lungang thoumthainae ouk a cangkhai. A pouklak e phungdeilawknaw a noumcai teh a thut.

And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.

10 Phungdeikung ni thai kahawi e lawklung a tawng teh a thut e lawklung teh kathuem e lawk, lawkkatang doeh.

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, [even] words of truth.

11 Tami lungkaang e lawk teh sâw hoi thoseh, tukhoumkung kalen buet touh koe a hnawng teh tamihu hemnae sumtaboung hoi thoseh a kâvan.

The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are [the words of] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.

12 Hothloilah, ka capa hot patet e lawk lahoi na dei pouh e hah tarawi loe. Ca lahoi ka thun nakunghai baw thai mahoeh. Ca panki lai hawi khetnae ni na tawn sak.

And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Ahnoungpoung e lawk teh, Cathut taket nateh kâpoelawknaw hah tarawi haw. Hethateh, tami pueng e thaw lah ao.

[This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] of man.

14 Cathut ni kahawi hno thoseh, kahawihoehe hno thoseh, hro e hnonaw pueng hoi hnocawngca lawk a ceng han.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.