Pwovèb 23
1 Lè chèf envite ou manje sou menm tab ak li, pa janm bliye ki moun li ye.
If thou sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before thee:
2 Si ou se yon moun ki gen bon lapeti, kontwole bouch ou.
and apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such [meats]: but if thou art very insatiable,
3 Pa pote lanvi sou bon ti manje l'ap ofri ou yo. Se ka yon pèlen li tann pou ou.
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 Pa touye tèt ou ap kouri dèyè lajan pou ou vin rich. Wete lide ou sou sa.
If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy wisdom.
5 Paske, anvan ou bat je ou, li gen tan disparèt. Ou ta di lajan gen zèl. Li rete konsa, li vole, li ale.
If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 Pa chita pou ou manje sou menm tab ak moun ki tikoulout. Pa pote lanvi sou manje l'ap ofri ou.
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire thou his meats:
7 Li chich ata ak tèt pa li, ale wè avè ou. L'ap di ou: Manje non, monchè! Bwè non! Men se pa ak tout kè li l'ap di ou sa.
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him:
8 W'a vonmi tou sa ou te manje a. Tout bèl pawòl ou te di l' yo p'ap sèvi ou anyen.
for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.
9 Pa chache fè yon moun san konprann konprann anyen. Li p'ap tande anyen nan sa w'ap di l' la. Lèfini, l'ap meprize ou met sou li.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words.
10 Pa janm deplase bòn tè kote yo te ye depi lontan an. Pa antre sou jaden ki pou timoun san papa.
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 Se Bondye k'ap defann yo, li gen anpil pouvwa. L'a plede kòz yo kont ou.
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with thee.
12 Mete tèt ou an plas lè y'ap moutre ou kichòy. Louvri zòrèy ou lè yon moun ki gen konesans ap pale.
Apply thine heart to instruction, and prepare thine ears for words of discretion.
13 Ou pa bezwen pè bat yon timoun. Yon bèl kal, sa p'ap touye l'.
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Pitit mwen, si ou gen bon konprann, mwen p'ap manke kontan.
Son, if thy heart be wise, thou shalt also gladden my heart;
16 M'a kontan anpil lè m'a tande bon pawòl k'ap soti nan bouch ou.
and thy lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 Pa pote lanvi sou moun k'ap fè sa ki mal. Nan tou sa w'ap fè, toujou gen krentif pou Bondye.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Paske gen denmen. Se pa pou gremesi w'ap tann sa w'ap tann lan.
For if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; and thine hope shall not be removed.
19 Louvri zòrèy ou, gason mwen, pou ou ka gen bon konprann, pou ou ka mache dwat. Kalkile byen kote w'ap mete pye ou, pou ou ka mache dwat.
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of thine heart.
20 Pa fè zanmi avèk moun k'ap bwè twòp, ak moun k'ap fè safte.
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 Paske moun k'ap fè metye bwè ak moun ki afre ap vin pòv. Si ou pase tout tan ou ap dòmi, talè konsa w'ap mache yon men devan yon men dèyè.
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 Pitit mwen, koute papa ou ki fè ou. Pa meprize manman ou lè li fin granmoun.
Hearken, [my] son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not [thy mother] because she is grown old.
23 Verite, konesans, lespri ak bon konprann, se bagay ou mèt peye chè pou ou genyen. Men, pa janm vann sa.
24 Papa ki gen yon pitit k'ap mache dwat ap toujou kontan. Manman ki fè yon pitit ki gen bon konprann ap toujou gen kè kontan.
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 Fè kè papa ou ak manman ou kontan. Fè kè manman ki fè ou la kontan.
Let thy father and thy mother rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be glad.
26 Pitit mwen, louvri zòrèy ou pou tande sa m'ap di ou. Louvri je ou byen pou ou wè jan m'ap viv.
[My] son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 Fanm jennès se tankou yon twou pèlen, fanm adiltè se tankou yon pi jis jis.
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 Tankou vòlò, y'ap pare pèlen pou ou. Yo fè anpil gason pèdi tèt yo.
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 Ki moun ki nan tèt chaje, ki nan lapenn? Ki moun ki toujou nan kont, ki tou tan ap plenyen? Ki moun k'ap pran kou san rezon, ki gen je yo tou wouj?
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 Se moun k'ap bwè twòp gwòg, moun k'ap kouri dèyè tranpe.
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 Pa kite bweson pran nanm ou, ou te mèt wè jan li bèl, jan li klè nan vè a. Lè ou bwè l', li desann dous nan gòj ou.
For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 Men, pita ou santi se tankou yon move sèpan ki mòde ou, yon sèpan aspik ki pike ou.
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 W'ap wè tout bagay ap vire devan je ou, w'ap depale.
Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 W'ap santi tankou si ou te sou lanmè: w'ap tankou si ou te sou tèt yon ma batiman.
And thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 Lè sa a w'a di: Gen lè yo bat mwen, mwen pa santi sa. Gen lè yo te ban m' kou, mwen pa konn sa. Kilè m'a leve la a? Mwen ta pran yon ti kou ankò.
And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
