Here's the detailed word-by-word breakdown with
English-Khmer translations and strategic analysis:
Word-by-Word Meaning:
- Revenge (n.)
- English:
Retaliation for harm
- Khmer: ការសងសឹក (kar
sang soek)
- Root:
"សង" (repay) +
"សឹក" (war)
- can be (v. phrase)
- English:
Is capable of being
- Khmer: អាចជា (ach
jea)
- disproportionate (adj.)
- English:
Excessive relative to the offense
- Khmer: មិនសមរម្យ (min
sam rom) or លើសលុប (leuh
lob)
- The person (n. phrase)
- English:
Individual
- Khmer: មនុស្ស (mnous)
or អ្នក (neak)
- you underestimate (v. phrase)
- English:
Judge as less important
- Khmer: អ្នកមើលងាយ (neak
meul ngeay)
- today (adv.)
- English:
Present day
- Khmer: ថ្ងៃនេះ (tngai
nih)
- may ruin (v. phrase)
- English:
Could destroy
- Khmer: អាចធ្វើអោយខូចខាត (ach
thveu aoy khoch khat)
- you tomorrow (n. phrase)
- English:
You in the future
- Khmer: អ្នកនៅថ្ងៃស្អែក (neak
nov tngai saek)
Full Sentence Meaning: English:
"Retaliation often exceeds the original offense - those you dismiss as
insignificant now may become powerful enough to destroy you later."
Khmer: "ការសងសឹកជាញឹកញាប់លើសកំហឹងដើម -
អ្នកដែលអ្នកមើលងាយឥឡូវនេះ
អាចក្លាយជាមានអំណាចគ្រប់គ្រាន់ដើម្បីបំផ្លាញអ្នកនៅពេលក្រោយ។"
Strategic Conclusion: English:
"Underestimation creates blind spots in power calculations - today's minor
rival could become tomorrow's existential threat if provoked without careful
consideration of their potential growth." Khmer: "ការមើលងាយធ្វើអោយមានចំណុចខ្វាក់ក្នុងការគណនាអំណាច
- គូប្រជែងតូចតាចថ្ងៃនេះអាចក្លាយជាគ្រោះថ្នាក់ធំដល់អត្ថិភាពរបស់អ្នកនៅថ្ងៃខាងមុខ
បើធ្វើអោយខឹងដោយមិនគិតពីសក្តានុពលរបស់គេ។"
Cultural Context: This
reflects the Khmer proverb "ឆ្កែតូចអាចខាំអ្នកស្លាប់បាន" (Even
a small dog can deliver a fatal bite) and mirrors historical examples where
minor officials later became powerful rulers. The warning aligns with Buddhist
teachings about "កុសលវិបាក" (karmic consequences)
while also serving as practical advice in Khmer power struggles. The concept
appears in Angkorian inscriptions where kings documented their rise from being
underestimated junior princes.