Proverbs 4
1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
Ka capakhqi aw, pa a cawngpyinaak ce ngai unawh, zaaksimthainaak na mi taaknaak ham ngai lah uh;
2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
Nami venawh ak leek soeih cawngpyinaak ka ni pekkhqi; ka cawngpyinaak koeh mangtak uh.
3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
Ka pa capa na awm nyng, Ka nu a ca, capa a lungnak soeih na awm nyng.
4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
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 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
Cyihnaak thlai nawh, zaaksimnaak awm thlai. Koeh hilh nawh, kam kha awhkawng ak cawn law awiyynnaakkhqi ce seetnaak lam benna koeh mang taak.
6 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.
Koeh hawi taak nawh, nik chungkhoep kaw; lung na nawh, ni khoemdoen kaw.
7 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.
Cyihnaak veni a kungpyi soeih hy; cemyihna awmsaw cyihnaak ce thlai; na khawhkhamkhqi boeih ingawm cyihnaak ce thlai.
8 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.
Zoeksang nawh, anih ing ni zoeksang lawt kaw; na ym na lam awhtaw kqihchah kawi thlangna ning coeng sak kaw.
9 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].
Na luu-awh mikhaileek lumyk ning byng sak kawm saw, dawnaak boei lumyk ni pe kaw.
10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
Ka capa, kak awi ngai nawh kym lah; Cawhtaw na hqing kum pung khqoet khqoet kaw.
11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
Cyihnaak lamawh ni cawngpyi nyng, dyngnaak lamawh ni sawi nyng.
12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
Na ceh huiawh nak khawkan ing zaang nawh, nang dawngawh awm am tawngtawh kawp ti.
13 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.
Cawngpyinaak awh ak cakna tu nawh, koeh hlah; ak cakna tu, na hqingnaak ham ni.
14 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].
Thlakchekhqi cehnaak awh koeh plaa nawh, thlakhalangkhqi a cehnaak awh koeh cet.
15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
Qei nawh taw, a vena koeh cet; mangtaak nawh loen taak.
16 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.
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 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
Seetnaak phaipi ce ai unawh, them amak leek sainaak misurtui ce aw uhy.
18 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.
Thlakdyngkhqi a cehnaak lam taw khawkbee ang lakawh bee khqoet hy.
19 [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.
Thlakchekhqi a cehnaak lam taw khawmthan amyihna ikawh a ming tawh am sim uhy.
20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
Ka capa, kak awi ngai nawh, kak awipek awh nang haa dun lah.
21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
Namik huh awhkawng koeh thoeng; nak kawlung khuiawh khoem.
22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
Ak hukhqi ham hqingnaak na awm nawh, a mi pumsa ham sadingnaak na awm hy.
23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
Ak chang boeih ang lakawh nak kawlung ce doen, hqingnaak ak cawnnaak ni.
24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
Nam khaawh awihche koeh cawn sak nawh, thlang koeh thailat na.
25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
Na mik ing hailam dan nawh, ak leekna na hai lam toek.
26 Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
Na khaw ham lamtlak ce chei nawh, na lampyi boeih ce cak sak.
27 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.
Nak tang ben mai aw, nak cawng ben mai awi koeh pleng; seetnaak awhkawng na khaw ce thoeih.
