Proverbs 4
1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
E HOOLOHE mai, e na keiki, i ke ao ana a ka makua, E haliu mai hoi e ike i ka naauao.
2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
No ka mea, he ike pono ka'u e haawi aku nei ia oukou, Mai haalele oukou i ko'u kanawai.
3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
No ka mea, he keiki no wau a ko'u makua, He malamia, a he hanaukahi imua o ko'u makuwahine.
4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
Ao mai la oia, i mai la ia'u, E hoopaa kou naau i ka'u olelo; E malama hoi i ka'u mau kauoha i ola oe.
5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
E imi i ka naauao, e imi hoi i ka ike a loaa; Mai hoopoina, mai waiho wale i na olelo a ko'u waha.
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.
Mai haalele oe ia mea, a nana oe e malama mai; E aloha oe ia ia, a nana oe e kiai mai.
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.
O ka naauao ka mea nui, e imi i ka naauao a loaa: Me na mea a pau au e imi ai, E imi pu i ka ike a loaa.
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.
E hoonani oe ia ia, nana oe e hookiekie ae; E hoohanohano ia oe i kou wa e hoopaa aku ai ia ia
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].
E haawi mai ia i lei aloha no kou poe; He lei hanohano hoi kana e haawi mai ai ia oe.
10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
E hoolohe mai, e kuu keiki, e hoopaa i ka'u olelo; A e nui ae hoi ia oe na makahiki o kou ola ana.
11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
E ao aku au ia oe ma ka aoao naauao, E kuhikuhi hoi au ia oe ma ko ala pololei.
12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
I kou hele ana, aole e hihia kou kapuwai; A ina o holo oe aole o hina.
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.
E hoopaa oe i ke aoia mai, mai hookuu oe; E malama oe ia ia, no ka mea, he ola ia nou.
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].
Ma ke alanui o ka poe hewa, mai hele oe, Mai hele hoi ma ka aoao o ka poe hewa.
15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
E haalele ia wahi, mai maalo ilaila, E huli ae mai ia wahi mai, a e hele aku.
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.
No ka mea, aole o lakou hiamoe, ke hana hewa ole aku; Ua lele hoi ka hiamoe, ke hoohina ole ia kekahi e lakou.
17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
No ka mea, ai lakou i ka berena no ka hewa, Inu hoi lakou i ka waina no ke kaili wale,
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.
Aka, o ke ala o ka poe pono, ua like ia me ka malamalama e aa ana, E mahuahua mau ana i ke awakea loa.
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.
O ka aoao o ka poe hewa, ua like ia me ka pouli: Aole i ike i ko lakou mea e hina ai.
20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
E kuu keiki e, e haliu mai ka'u olelo, I ka'u olelo hoi o huli mai ai i ka pepeiao.
21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
Mai noho a nalowale ia mai kou mau maka aku; E malama oe ia iloko o kou naau.
22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
No ka mea, he ola ia no na mea i loaa'i ia, He laau hoola hoi no ke kino a pau.
23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
E kiai oe i kou naau me ka malama loa; No ka mea, noloko olaila ka waipuna o ke ola.
24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
E waiho aku oe i ku waha wahahee wale, E haalele loa hoi i na lehelehe hoopunipuni.
25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
I nana pono ae kou mau maka, I pololei hoi kou mau lihilihi mamua ou.
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.
E hoopololei ae i ke ala no kou mau kapuwai, A e pololei hoi kou hele ana a pau.
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.
Mai huli ae oe i ka lima akau aole hoi i ka lima hema; E huli nae kou wawae mai ka hewa aku.
