Olcueih 23
1 Aka taemrhai taengah buh ang ham na ngol vaengah, na mikhmuh kah aka om te tah, na yakming rhoe na yakming ham om.
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
2 Hinglu neh na boei atah na olrhong ni tumca neh na nuen.
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
3 Laithae buh la a om dongah amih kah antui te ngaidam boeh.
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
4 Boei ham khaw kohnue boeh, na yakmingnah nen khaw toeng dae.
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
5 A taengah na mik na hoih la na hoih nama? Tedae om hae mahpawh. A phae cawn, cawn vetih, atha bangla vaan ah a ding lamni a ding eh.
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
6 Moeithae kah buh te caak pah boeh. Anih kah antui te khaw ngaidam rhoela ngaidam boeh.
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
7 A hinglu neh aka nainong bangla amah loh nang taengah, “Ca van, o van,” a ti tangloeng. Tedae, a lungbuei tah nang taengah a khueh moenih.
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
8 Namah kah kamat ca na caak te na lok hae vetih, na ol ding ni na poeih rhung eh.
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
9 Hlang ang hna ah thui pah boeh. Na olthui dongkah lungmingnah te a hnoelrhoeng hae ni.
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
10 Khosuen kah rhi te rhawt boeh, cadah kah khohmuen te khaw cuk thil boeh.
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
11 Amah, amih aka tlan tah tlungluen tih, amih kah tuituknah te nang taengah ni han suk eh.
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
12 Thuituennah he na lungbuei ah, mingnah ol he na hna ah dueh lah.
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
13 Thuituennah dongah camoe te hloh boeh. Cungcik neh anih na boh akhaw duek aih mahpawh.
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ka ca, na lungbuei ni a cueih atah, kai khaw ka lungbuei a kohoe van ni.
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
16 Ka kuel pataeng sundaep ngawn ni ta, na hmuilai loh vanat la a thui vaengah te.
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
17 Hlangtholh rhoek taengah na lungbuei te thatlai boel saeh. Tedae BOEIPA mah hnin takuem ah hinyahnah.
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
18 Khohmai he a om pueng oeh dongah na ngaiuepnah khaw muei mahpawh.
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
19 Ka ca nang loh hnatun lamtah cueih lah. Te vaengah na lungbuei kah a longpuei khaw uem van saeh.
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
20 Amih yumii taengah, maehkai taengah om boeh.
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
21 Yumii neh carhut long tah khodaeng a pang vetih, ihdut long khaw hnipen ni a bai eh.
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
22 Nang aka cun na pa ol te hnatun lamtah, na nu khaw a patong vaengah hnoelrhoeng boeh.
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
23 Oltak he vawtthaih lamtah cueihnah, thuituennah, yakmingnah khaw yoi boeh.
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Omngaih coeng, omngaih coeng, hlang dueng aka cun a napa tah omngaih rhoela omngaih coeng. Hlang cueih aka cun khaw a soah a kohoe coeng.
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
25 Na nu neh na pa te a kohoe saeh lamtah nang aka cun khaw omngaih saeh.
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
26 Ka ca na lungbuei te kamah taengla m'pae. Na mik loh ka longpuei he a ngaingaih la khueinah saeh.
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
27 Pumyoi he vaam a dung, kholong nu khaw tangrhom caek la om.
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
28 Anih khaw dingca bangla rhongngol tih, hlang rhoek taengah hnukpoh la a thap pah.
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
29 Anunae, unim ca te, ngaisahueng la unim ca te, unimca olpungkacan neh hohmuhnah, kohuetnah aka khueh te unim ca? Lungli lungla la tloh aka yook te unim, a mik aka lingduk te unim.
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
30 Misurtui dongah aka bol, yu hoem hamla aka pong dae ni te.
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
31 Misurtui te sungsa dongah a thimyum la a lang vaengah, a mikhmuh boengloeng khuiah vanat la a caeh vaengah khaw so boeh.
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
32 A hmailong ah rhul kah a tuk bangla, rhulthae kah a phuh bangla om ni.
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
33 Na mik loh a lang la a hmuh vetih, na lungbuei long khaw calaak ol ni a thui eh.
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
34 Tuitun tuilung kah aka yalh bangla, cungkui soi ah aka yalh bangla na om ni.
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
35 Kai he n'taam uh dae a tloh moenih, kai n'thoek uh dae ka yaak moenih. Me vaengah nim ka haenghang vetih a tloe neh ka khoep ham ka hmuh ve,” na ti hae ni.
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
