Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
Ukkung hoi buh nawnto caak han nang hnut naah, na tuinuen to kahoihah angsum ah;
2 put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
buhcaak nam oeh hmoek nahaeloe, na qawnh to haita hoi aah baktiah ni oh.
3 Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
Kakhraem anih ih buh to khit hmah; to buh loe alinghaih buh ah ni oh.
4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
Angraeng thai hanah toksah hmah; na palunghahaih to oep hmah.
5 Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
Nawnetta ah anghma thaih hmuen to na khet maw? Tangtang ni van bangah kazawk tahmu baktih toengah, angraenghaih doeh pakhraeh tawnh moe, azawk ving.
6 Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
Uthaih tawn kami ih buh to caa pae hmah; anih ih kahoih caaknaek doeh khit pae hmah;
7 for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
anih loe a palung thung hoi poek ih baktih toengah oh; caa ah loe nae ah, tiah ang naa, toe palung tang hoiah thui ai.
8 You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
Zetta na caak ih buh to palok roep ueloe, kahoih loknawk to na sung moeng tih.
9 Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Kamthu khaeah lokthui hmah; anih loe na thuih ih palunghahaih lok to patoek tih.
10 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Canghnii ih prae angzithaih ramri to pathui hmah; naqah ih lawk to lomh pae hmah;
11 for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
anih krangkung loe thacak; Angraeng mah nihcae kawng pongah na thuitaek tih.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Thuitaekhaih bangah palung paek ah loe, palunghahaih lok bangah na naa to patueng ah.
13 Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Nawkta to thuitaek hanah paquem hmah; anih to cung hoiah na boh cadoeh dueh mak ai.
Hell thung hoiah anih to pahlong hanah, cung hoiah bop ah. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
Ka capa, palunghahaih na tawnh nahaeloe, ka palung hae anghoe tih.
16 Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Ue, na pahni mah katoeng hmuen to thuih naah, ka palung hae anghoe tih.
17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
Kazae kaminawk to awt hmah; Angraeng zithaih khue to palung thung hoi poek ah.
18 Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
Na oephaih loe hmabang ah oh, na oephaih loe boeng mak ai.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
Ka capa, tahngai ah loe palungha ah; katoeng loklam ah na poekhaih palung to suem ah.
20 Don’t be amongst ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
Mu coih kami, moi caak koeh hmoek kami hoi angkom hmah.
21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Mu coih kami hoi caaknaek amoeh kaminawk loe amtang tih; iih koeh hmoek kami loe amtanghaih mah khuk hmoek tih.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
Na tapenkung nam pa ih lok to tahngai ah, nam no mitong naah hnap hmah.
23 Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
Loktang to qan ah, zaw let hmah; palunghahaih, thuitaekhaih hoi panoekhaih to talawk ah.
24 The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
Katoeng kami ih ampa loe paroeai anghoe tih; palungha caa tapen ampa loe a caa nuiah anghoe tih.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
Nam no hoi nam pa to anghoe tih, nang tapenkung loe anghoehaih tawn tih.
26 My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
Ka capa, palung to na paek ah loe, ka loklamnawk hae na mik hoiah khen ah.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
Tangzat zaw nongpata loe kathuk tangqom baktih, minawk zoek thaih nongpata loe tamcaek tuikhaw baktiah oh.
28 Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful amongst men.
Mingcah baktiah kami to angang moe, nongpanawk zaehaih to pungsak.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Khosak bing kami loe mi maw? Mi maw palungsae? Mi maw patangh? Mi maw amoek? Tidoeh na ai ah mi maw nganbawh kana hak? Mi maw mik kamlingh?
30 Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
To baktih kaminawk loe mu naek angsum thai ai kami, tasi hoi atok ih mu naek hanah pakrong kaminawk ni.
31 Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
Mu kathim maw, boengloeng pong lawn naah rong kampha mu maw, naek naah akun kahoih mu kathim maw to khen hmah.
32 In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
Boenghaih ah loe pahui baktiah kami to patuk moe, pahui sae ih kasoetui baktiah oh.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
Na mik mah kahoih ai nongpata to khen ueloe, na poekhaih palungthin to amkhraengsak ving tih.
34 Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:
Ue, nang loe tuipui um ah iip kami baktih, palong paehhaih qui nuiah iip kami baktiah na om tih.
35 “They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”
Nihcae mah ang boh o, toe kana panoek ai; ang caep o, toe tidoeh ka panoek ai! Kang thawk naah, naek hanah mu to pakrong let han vop, tiah ni na thui tih.
