Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Ka capakhqi aw, pa a cawngpyinaak ce ngai unawh, zaaksimthainaak na mi taaknaak ham ngai lah uh;
2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
Nami venawh ak leek soeih cawngpyinaak ka ni pekkhqi; ka cawngpyinaak koeh mangtak uh.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
Ka pa capa na awm nyng, Ka nu a ca, capa a lungnak soeih na awm nyng.
4 He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain 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. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate 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 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
Koeh hawi taak nawh, nik chungkhoep kaw; lung na nawh, ni khoemdoen kaw.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Cyihnaak veni a kungpyi soeih hy; cemyihna awmsaw cyihnaak ce thlai; na khawhkhamkhqi boeih ingawm cyihnaak ce thlai.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you 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 your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
Na luu-awh mikhaileek lumyk ning byng sak kawm saw, dawnaak boei lumyk ni pe kaw.
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Ka capa, kak awi ngai nawh kym lah; Cawhtaw na hqing kum pung khqoet khqoet kaw.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
Cyihnaak lamawh ni cawngpyi nyng, dyngnaak lamawh ni sawi nyng.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
Na ceh huiawh nak khawkan ing zaang nawh, nang dawngawh awm am tawngtawh kawp ti.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Cawngpyinaak awh ak cakna tu nawh, koeh hlah; ak cakna tu, na hqingnaak ham ni.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
Thlakchekhqi cehnaak awh koeh plaa nawh, thlakhalangkhqi a cehnaak awh koeh cet.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Qei nawh taw, a vena koeh cet; mangtaak nawh loen taak.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone 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 like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
Thlakdyngkhqi a cehnaak lam taw khawkbee ang lakawh bee khqoet hy.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
Thlakchekhqi a cehnaak lam taw khawmthan amyihna ikawh a ming tawh am sim uhy.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
Ka capa, kak awi ngai nawh, kak awipek awh nang haa dun lah.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
Namik huh awhkawng koeh thoeng; nak kawlung khuiawh khoem.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
Ak hukhqi ham hqingnaak na awm nawh, a mi pumsa ham sadingnaak na awm hy.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Ak chang boeih ang lakawh nak kawlung ce doen, hqingnaak ak cawnnaak ni.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Nam khaawh awihche koeh cawn sak nawh, thlang koeh thailat na.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Na mik ing hailam dan nawh, ak leekna na hai lam toek.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Na khaw ham lamtlak ce chei nawh, na lampyi boeih ce cak sak.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Nak tang ben mai aw, nak cawng ben mai awi koeh pleng; seetnaak awhkawng na khaw ce thoeih.
