Proverbs 18
1 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
Minawk hoi angkom ai kami loe, angmah koehhaih to pazui moe, minawk lok takroekhaih aek thaih kami ah oh.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
Kamthu loe palunghahaih nuiah anghoehaih tawn ai moe, angmah poekhaih nui khue ah ni anghoe.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.
Kahoih ai kami angzoh naah, hnaphnaehaih to oh; ahmin sethaih oh naah, azathaih doeh oh.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
Kami pakha thung hoi tacawt lok loe tuili baktiah thuk, toe palunghahaih loe tuibap baktiah puek.
5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
Lokcaek naah kahoih kami to sungsak hanah, kami kasae to angdoet haih han om ai.
6 A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
Kamthu ih pahni mah angzoehhaih to tacawtsak, anih ih pakha hoiah angbohhaih to ohsak.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
Kamthu ih pakha loe angmah amrohaih ah oh moe, anih ih pahni loe a hinghaih pakhra amanhaih dongh baktiah oh.
8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
Minawk kasaethuihaih lok loe ahmaa kana baktiah, kami ih zok thung khoek to akun tathuk.
9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
Thasae kami loe hmuenmae tahmat thaih kami ih nawkamya ah oh.
10 Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
Angraeng ih ahmin loe kacak abuephaih sipae ah oh; katoeng kami loe to imthung ah cawnh moe, to ah monghaih to hnuk.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
Hmuenmae hoi angraeng kami loe angmah ih angraenghaih to vangpui kacak baktih, kasang parai sipae baktiah poek.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
Amoekhaih mah amrohaih to phaksak; toe kami tlim ah khosakhaih loe pakoehhaih loklam tuhkung ah oh.
13 He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
Lok tahngai hmaloe ai ah pathim ih lok loe, amthuhaih hoi azathaih ah oh.
14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
Kami ih palung mah ngannathaih to khaang thaih; toe palungsethaih loe kawbangmaw khaang thai tih?
15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Khopoek thaih kami ih palung loe palunghahaih to tawnh; palungha kami ih naa mah loe palunghahaih to pakrong.
16 A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
Kami mah sin ih tangqum mah, kalen kaminawk hmaa ah caeh haih loklam to paawh pae.
17 He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.
Angmah kawng thui hmaloe kami loe katoeng kami baktiah amtueng; toe a imtaeng kami to angzoh moe, anih ih akawng to thuih naah ni, katoeng hoi katoeng ai to amtueng.
18 The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
Tahamsae kahoih khethaih phoisa vahhaih mah lok angaekhaih to dipsak moe, lokaek thaih thacak kaminawk doeh pathlaeng thaih.
19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
Lok angaek thaih nawkamya loe pazawk hanah kacak vangpui tuk pongah doeh rai kue; nihnik lok angaekhaih loe misatoep kami ohhaih sipae hoiah anghmong.
20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
Kami loe angmah ih pakha hoi tacawt thingthai to caa ueloe, zok amhah tih; a pahni hoi tacawt hmuen hoiah zok amhah tih.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
Palai loe duekhaih hoi hinghaih tha to tawnh; palai palung kaminawk loe palai ih athaih to caa o tih.
22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh.
Zu la kami loe kahoih hmuen to a hnuk moe, Angraeng koehhaih to a tongh.
23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
Amtang kami loe tahmenhaih hnik thaih; toe angraeng loe lok kaham hoiah minawk ih lok to pathim.
24 A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Ampui kapop ah tawn kami loe angmah amrohaih ah oh; toe nawkamya pongah palung cak kue ampui doeh oh.
