< Proverbs 4 >
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Ka capakhqi aw, pa a cawngpyinaak ce ngai unawh, zaaksimthainaak na mi taaknaak ham ngai lah uh;
2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
Nami venawh ak leek soeih cawngpyinaak ka ni pekkhqi; ka cawngpyinaak koeh mangtak uh.
3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.
Ka pa capa na awm nyng, Ka nu a ca, capa a lungnak soeih na awm nyng.
4 And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
Ni cawngpyi nawh, ka venawh, “Nak kawlung ing kak awikhqi ve kym poe sei taw; kak awipekkhqi ce haana nawh hqing pyi,” ti hy.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
Cyihnaak thlai nawh, zaaksimnaak awm thlai. Koeh hilh nawh, kam kha awhkawng ak cawn law awiyynnaakkhqi ce seetnaak lam benna koeh mang taak.
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
Koeh hawi taak nawh, nik chungkhoep kaw; lung na nawh, ni khoemdoen kaw.
7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Cyihnaak veni a kungpyi soeih hy; cemyihna awmsaw cyihnaak ce thlai; na khawhkhamkhqi boeih ingawm cyihnaak ce thlai.
8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Zoeksang nawh, anih ing ni zoeksang lawt kaw; na ym na lam awhtaw kqihchah kawi thlangna ning coeng sak kaw.
9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
Na luu-awh mikhaileek lumyk ning byng sak kawm saw, dawnaak boei lumyk ni pe kaw.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Ka capa, kak awi ngai nawh kym lah; Cawhtaw na hqing kum pung khqoet khqoet kaw.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Cyihnaak lamawh ni cawngpyi nyng, dyngnaak lamawh ni sawi nyng.
12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Na ceh huiawh nak khawkan ing zaang nawh, nang dawngawh awm am tawngtawh kawp ti.
13 Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
Cawngpyinaak awh ak cakna tu nawh, koeh hlah; ak cakna tu, na hqingnaak ham ni.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Thlakchekhqi cehnaak awh koeh plaa nawh, thlakhalangkhqi a cehnaak awh koeh cet.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
Qei nawh taw, a vena koeh cet; mangtaak nawh loen taak.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Kut a mamik thlak khui taw am ip thai kawm usaw, thlang ak khanawh seetnaak a mi sai hlan khui taw mik am kuu kaw.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Seetnaak phaipi ce ai unawh, them amak leek sainaak misurtui ce aw uhy.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Thlakdyngkhqi a cehnaak lam taw khawkbee ang lakawh bee khqoet hy.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
Thlakchekhqi a cehnaak lam taw khawmthan amyihna ikawh a ming tawh am sim uhy.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Ka capa, kak awi ngai nawh, kak awipek awh nang haa dun lah.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Namik huh awhkawng koeh thoeng; nak kawlung khuiawh khoem.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Ak hukhqi ham hqingnaak na awm nawh, a mi pumsa ham sadingnaak na awm hy.
23 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
Ak chang boeih ang lakawh nak kawlung ce doen, hqingnaak ak cawnnaak ni.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Nam khaawh awihche koeh cawn sak nawh, thlang koeh thailat na.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Na mik ing hailam dan nawh, ak leekna na hai lam toek.
26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Na khaw ham lamtlak ce chei nawh, na lampyi boeih ce cak sak.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
Nak tang ben mai aw, nak cawng ben mai awi koeh pleng; seetnaak awhkawng na khaw ce thoeih.