< Proverbs 4 >
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Ka caanawk, ampa thuitaekhaih lok to tahngai oh; panoekhaih tawnh hanah kahoih ah tahngai oh.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
Patukhaih kahoih kang paek o, to pongah kang patuk ih lok hae pahnawt o hmah.
3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Kam pa hanah kai loe nawkta ah ka oh, kam no han loe palung ih capa, nawkta ah ka oh.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Kam pa mah kang thuih ih loknawk hae palung thungah suem ah, kang paek ih loknawk hae pakuemh loe, hing haih ah, tiah ang patuk.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Palunghahaih to amtuk ah loe panoekhaih to cang ah; pahnet hmah loe, ka thuih ih loknawk hae angqoi taak hmah.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Palunghahaih to pahnawt hmah, palunghahaih mah ni nang to pakaa tih; palunghahaih to palung ah, to tih nahaeloe palunghahaih mah na toep tih.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Palunghahaih loe lokpui ah oh; to pongah palunghahaih to amtuk ah; nam tuk ih hmuennawk boih thungah panoekhaih to amtuk oh.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Palunghahaih to lokpui ah suem ah; to tih nahaeloe anih mah na qoengsak tahang tih; anih to na patawnh caeng nahaeloe, khingzahaih na hnu tih.
9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
Na lu ah tahmenhaih lumuek hoiah zaeng ueloe, lensawkhaih angraeng lumuek to angmueksak tih.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Ka capa, ka thuih ih lok hae tahngaih loe, tapom ah; to tih nahaeloe na hinghaih saning to sawk tih.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
Palunghahaih loklam to kang patuek o moe, katoeng loklam ah kang caeh o haih.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Na caeh o naah lam tamcaek ah na pha o mak ai; na cawnh o naah doeh nam thaek o mak ai.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Thuitaekhaih lok hae patawn caeng ah, kangthla ah caehsak hmah; na hinghaih ah oh pongah, kahoih ah pakuem ah.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Kasae kaminawk ih loklam ah khok takan hmah loe, kasae kaminawk ih loklam to pazui hmah.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Caeh hmah, ayae ah; amlaem taak ah loe, angqoi taak ving ah.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
To baktih kaminawk loe kasae hmuen sah ai ah loe iip o thai ai; thoemto kaminawk loe amtimsak ai ah loe iip o thai ai.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Nihcae loe sethaih takaw to caak o moe, athii longhaih misurtui to a naek o.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Katoeng kami ih loklam loe ni aengh baktiah oh moe, khodai khoek to aang aep aep.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Toe kasae kami ih loklam loe khoving baktiah ving; tih mah maw nihcae to amtimsak, tito panoek o ai.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Ka capa, ka thuih ih loknawk hae tahngai ah; ka thuih ih loknawk bangah naa to patueng ah.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Na mik hoi kangthla ah suem hmah, na palung thungah suem ah.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Hae tiah patukhaih loe hnu kaminawk hanah hinghaih ah oh moe, taksa ngantuihaih ah oh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Palung loe hinghaih lokpui koekah oh pongah, na palung to kahoih ah khenzawn ah.
24 Put away from thee a perverse mouth, and corrupt lips put far from thee.
Oep om ai lok to pakha thung hoiah tacawtsak hmah loe, angaek thaih pahni to kangthla ah suem ah.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Na mik mah hmabang to katoeng ah khen nasoe, na hmaa to kahoih ah dan ah.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Na caehhaih loklam to poek ah, na loklamnawk boih to caksak ah.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Bangqoi bantang angqoi hmah; sethaih thungah caeh han ai ah ayae ah.