< Cingthuilawk 4 >

1 Ka canaw, na pa ni na cangkhainae hah thai awh nateh, thaipanueknae hah panue hanelah na hnâpakeng awh.
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 Bangkongtetpawiteh, cangkhainae kahawi hah na poe dawkvah, kaie kâlawk hah cettakhai hanh.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 Apa e capa lah ka o navah, anu e capa a pahren e tawntoe e capa lah ka o.
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 Pâtu hai na pâtu teh, na lungthin hoi ka lawknaw hah pâkuem haw. Kaie kâpoelawknaw hah tarawi nateh hring haw.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Lungangnae hah tawn nateh, thaipanueknae hah tawn haw. Ka pahni dawk hoi ka tâcawt e lawknaw hah pahnim laipalah, kamlang takhai hanh.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 Cettakhai hanh, na ring nakaima. Lungpataw haw na ngue han kaima.
Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
7 Lungangnae teh a lawkpui poung doeh.
The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
8 Talue sak haw, na tawmrasang han. Tapam haw, barinae koe na ceikhai han.
If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
9 Na lû dawk lungmanae na kâmuk sak han, bawilennae bawilakhung hah na kâmuk sak han.
If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
10 Ka capa, ka dei e hah thai nateh, dâw haw. Na hringyung a saw sak han.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 Lungangnae lamthung na cangkhai teh, lamkalan dawk na hrawi.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 Na cei navah, na khok hanelah kamthuinae awm mahoeh, na yawng navah na tâlaw mahoeh.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Na cangkhainae hah kacaklah kuen nateh, tha laipalah pou kuen haw. Bangkongtetpawiteh, na hringnae doeh.
Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
14 Tamikathoutnaw e lamthung dawk kâen awh hanh. Tami kahawihoehnaw e lamthung dawn hanh.
Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
15 Roun nateh, khoeroe dawn hanh, kamlang takhai nateh, cettakhaih.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 Bangkongtetpawiteh, hno kathout sak hoeh pawiteh, ip thai awh hoeh niteh, tami buetbuet touh tâlaw sak hoehpawiteh, ihmu tho awh hoeh.
because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
17 Bangkongtetpawiteh, thoenae vaiyei hah a ca awh teh, rektapnae yamu hah a nei awh.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 Hatei, tamikalannaw e lamthung teh, kanî raeng, kanî tuengtalueng a thunnae kanî ang patetlah ao.
The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
19 Tamikathoutnaw e lamthung teh khohmo patetlah ao teh, tâlawnae akungcing hai panuek awh hoeh.
[But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
20 Ka capa, ka lawk kahawicalah thai haw, ka dei e hah atangcalah pouk.
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 Na mit hoi kâhlat sak hanh, na lungthin dawk pâkuemh.
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 Bangkongtetpawiteh, kahmawtnaw hanelah hringnae lah ao teh, a takthai abuemlah hanelah damnae lah ao.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Hno pueng hlak hoi na lungthin hah kahawicalah ring haw. Bangkongtetpawiteh, hringnae akungtuen lah ao.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Dumyennae pahni hah pahnawt nateh, payonnae pahni hah ahlanae koe takhoe haw.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Na mit hoi hmalah kalan lah khen nateh, na hmalah kalan lah radoung haw.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Na lamthung hah hmaloe rip nateh, na lamthung pueng hah cak sak.
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
27 Aranglah nakunghai, avoilah nakunghai phen hanh. Thoenae lamthung hah roun haw.
Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.

< Cingthuilawk 4 >