Pwovèb 26
1 Menm jan moun pa bezwen tann pou fè gwo fredi nan sezon chalè, ni pou lapli tonbe nan sezon rekòt, konsa tou, moun san konprann pa bezwen tann pou yo fè lwanj li.
Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.
2 Madichon pa ka fè ou anyen si ou pa antò. Se tankou ti zwezo k'ap vòltije sou branch bwa, ziwondèl k'ap vole nan syèl la yo ye.
As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
3 Fwèt pou chwal, baboukèt pou bourik, baton pou do moun ki san konprann.
A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.
4 Pa reponn moun sòt yo menm jan yo pale a, pou ou pa parèt sòt menm jan ak yo.
Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.
5 Reponn moun sòt yo dapre jan yo pale a, w'a fè yo wè se moun sòt yo ye.
Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
6 Yon moun ki voye yon moun sòt fè komisyon, se tankou si li te koupe janm li. Se traka l'ap chache bay tèt li.
He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.
7 Yon moun ki san konprann sèvi ak yon pwovèb menm jan yon moun bwete sèvi ak move janm lan.
The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.
8 Fè lwanj yon moun ki san konprann, se tankou si ou te mare wòch la anvan ou tire fistibal la.
Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.
9 Yon moun san konprann k'ap bay yon pwovèb, se tankou yon moun sou k'ap chache wete yon pikan nan dwèt li.
Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
10 Patwon ki pran nenpòt moun san konprann osinon nenpòt moun k'ap pase nan lari pou travay pou li, se yon danje pou tout moun.
Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.
11 Menm jan yon chen tounen vin manje sa li vonmi, se konsa moun san konprann yo ap toujou fè sa y'ap fè a.
Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.
12 Gen plis espwa pou yon moun ki san konprann pase pou yon moun ki mete nan tèt li li konprann.
Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
13 Parese a di: Gen bèt nan bwa sou wout la. Gen yon lyon nan lari a.
The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 Parese a ap vire adwat agoch nan kabann li, menm jan yon pòt ap vire louvri fèmen sou gon li yo.
A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
15 Parese a pran kiyè l' nan men l'. Men, pou l' leve l' mete nan bouch li, se yon pakèt afè.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
16 Parese mete nan tèt li li gen plis konprann pase sèt moun lespri ki konn sa y'ap di.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
17 Moun k'ap foure bouch nan koze ki pa gade l', se tankou moun k'ap rale ke chen li jwenn sou gran chemen.
He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
18 -(we vèsè pwochen)
As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
19 Moun k'ap mache twonpe moun, apre sa pou li di: Aa monchè! Se jwe mwen t'ap jwe, moun konsa tankou moun fou k'ap voye bwa dife ak wòch pou touye moun.
So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
20 Kote ki pa gen bwa, pa gen dife. Kote ki pa gen tripòt, pa gen kont.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
21 Chabon kenbe recho a limen. Bwa pa kite dife a mouri. Konsa tou, moun ki renmen chache kont toujou ap pouse dife.
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
22 Tripotay dous nan zòrèy moun ki vle tande yo. Sa mache nan san yo.
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
23 Yon moun ki gen bèl pawòl nan bouch li men ki gen move kè, se tankou bèl penti sou bwa pouri.
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
24 Ipokrit ki rayi moun toujou ap bay bèl pawòl. Men, nan kè l', se twonpe l'ap twonpe moun.
With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
25 Lè l'ap pale konsa, ou pa bezwen kwè l', paske nan fon kè l', se mechanste ase ki genyen.
When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
26 Li te mèt kache sa, tout moun gen pou wè mechanste l'ap fè yo.
Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
27 Moun k'ap tann pèlen pou lòt se yo menm k'ap pran ladan li. Moun ki konmanse woule wòch la, se li menm ankò wòch la ap kraze.
He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
28 Fòk ou rayi yon moun vre pou fè manti sou li. Lè w'ap flate moun, se tèt ou w'ap fè tò.
A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.
