Proverbs 4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
Ka canaw, na pa ni na cangkhainae hah thai awh nateh, thaipanueknae hah panue hanelah na hnâpakeng awh.
2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
Bangkongtetpawiteh, cangkhainae kahawi hah na poe dawkvah, kaie kâlawk hah cettakhai hanh.
3 When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
Apa e capa lah ka o navah, anu e capa a pahren e tawntoe e capa lah ka o.
4 he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
Pâtu hai na pâtu teh, na lungthin hoi ka lawknaw hah pâkuem haw. Kaie kâpoelawknaw hah tarawi nateh hring haw.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
Lungangnae hah tawn nateh, thaipanueknae hah tawn haw. Ka pahni dawk hoi ka tâcawt e lawknaw hah pahnim laipalah, kamlang takhai hanh.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
Cettakhai hanh, na ring nakaima. Lungpataw haw na ngue han kaima.
7 Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
Lungangnae teh a lawkpui poung doeh.
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
Talue sak haw, na tawmrasang han. Tapam haw, barinae koe na ceikhai han.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Na lû dawk lungmanae na kâmuk sak han, bawilennae bawilakhung hah na kâmuk sak han.
10 Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
Ka capa, ka dei e hah thai nateh, dâw haw. Na hringyung a saw sak han.
11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
Lungangnae lamthung na cangkhai teh, lamkalan dawk na hrawi.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
Na cei navah, na khok hanelah kamthuinae awm mahoeh, na yawng navah na tâlaw mahoeh.
13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
Na cangkhainae hah kacaklah kuen nateh, tha laipalah pou kuen haw. Bangkongtetpawiteh, na hringnae doeh.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
Tamikathoutnaw e lamthung dawk kâen awh hanh. Tami kahawihoehnaw e lamthung dawn hanh.
15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
Roun nateh, khoeroe dawn hanh, kamlang takhai nateh, cettakhaih.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
Bangkongtetpawiteh, hno kathout sak hoeh pawiteh, ip thai awh hoeh niteh, tami buetbuet touh tâlaw sak hoehpawiteh, ihmu tho awh hoeh.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Bangkongtetpawiteh, thoenae vaiyei hah a ca awh teh, rektapnae yamu hah a nei awh.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
Hatei, tamikalannaw e lamthung teh, kanî raeng, kanî tuengtalueng a thunnae kanî ang patetlah ao.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Tamikathoutnaw e lamthung teh khohmo patetlah ao teh, tâlawnae akungcing hai panuek awh hoeh.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Ka capa, ka lawk kahawicalah thai haw, ka dei e hah atangcalah pouk.
21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
Na mit hoi kâhlat sak hanh, na lungthin dawk pâkuemh.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
Bangkongtetpawiteh, kahmawtnaw hanelah hringnae lah ao teh, a takthai abuemlah hanelah damnae lah ao.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
Hno pueng hlak hoi na lungthin hah kahawicalah ring haw. Bangkongtetpawiteh, hringnae akungtuen lah ao.
24 Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
Dumyennae pahni hah pahnawt nateh, payonnae pahni hah ahlanae koe takhoe haw.
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
Na mit hoi hmalah kalan lah khen nateh, na hmalah kalan lah radoung haw.
26 Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
Na lamthung hah hmaloe rip nateh, na lamthung pueng hah cak sak.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
Aranglah nakunghai, avoilah nakunghai phen hanh. Thoenae lamthung hah roun haw.
