Pwovèb 4
1 Pitit mwen yo, koute yon papa lè l'ap ban nou bon levasyon. Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou ka gen konprann.
Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
2 Pa janm bliye anyen nan sa m'ap moutre nou la a: Se bon konsèy m'ap ban nou.
For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
3 Lè mwen te timoun piti lakay papa m', lè sa a mwen te sèl pitit manman mwen.
For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
4 Papa m' t'ap moutre m' anpil bagay. Li te konn di m': Kenbe pawòl mwen nan kè ou. Fè sa m'ap di ou fè, konsa w'a viv.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
5 Chache gen konesans ak bon konprann. Pa janm bliye sa m'ap di ou la a. Pa vire do ba yo.
Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
6 Pa lage konesans ou. L'a toujou pwoteje ou. renmen l', li p'ap kite anyen rive ou.
Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
7 Chache gen konesans, se premye bagay yon nonm lespri dwe fè. Nenpòt kisa ou ka genyen, bay li pou ou vin gen konprann.
The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
8 renmen konesans, l'ap fè ou mache tèt wo. Kenbe l', pa lage l'. L'a fè yo respekte ou.
Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
9 Se va yon bèl bagay pou ou, tankou yon kouwòn sou tèt ou. Se va yon lwanj pou ou kote ou pase.
She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
10 Koute sa m'ap di ou, pitit mwen. Pa bliye sa m'ap moutre ou la a, konsa w'a viv lontan.
Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
11 Mwen moutre ou jan pou ou viv ak bon konprann. Mwen fè ou konnen jan pou ou mache dwat.
I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
12 Lè w'ap viv avèk bon konprann, anyen p'ap bare wout ou. Ou mèt ap kouri, ou p'ap janm bite sou anyen.
When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
13 Pa janm bliye sa yo te moutre ou, kenbe l' fèm. Pa kite l' chape anba men ou, se tout lavi ou.
Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
14 Pa fè menm chemen ak mechan yo. Pa swiv egzanp moun ki deprave yo.
Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
15 Pa fè sa, pa pran chemen sa yo menm. Refize fè tankou yo, fè chemen pa ou.
Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
16 Mechan yo p'ap dòmi toutotan yo pa fè sa ki mal. Dòmi pa ka pran yo si yo pa rive fè sa yo vle fè a.
For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
17 Se nan fè mechanste yo jwenn manje pou yo manje. Se nan fè moun mal yo jwenn diven pou yo bwè.
The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
18 Chemen moun k'ap mache dwat yo tankou solèy k'ap leve. Chak lè, l'ap vin pi klere jouk li fin jou nèt.
But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
19 Chemen moun mechan yo fè nwa kou lannwit. Yo pa ka wè sou kisa y'ap bite.
The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
20 Pitit mwen, louvri lespri ou pou ou konprann byen sa m'ap di ou la a. Louvri zòrèy ou pou ou koute pawòl k'ap soti nan bouch mwen.
My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
21 Pa janm kite yo soti devan je ou. Kenbe yo nan kè ou. Pa janm bliye yo.
Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
22 Se lavi pou moun ki jwenn yo. Se lasante pou tout moun ki konprann yo.
For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
23 Pase tout lòt bagay, veye byen lide k'ap travay nan tèt ou, paske se yo k'ap di ou ki jan pou ou viv.
And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
24 Pa janm kite manti soti nan bouch ou, ni move pawòl, ni mo deplase.
Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
25 Gade dwat devan ou. Kenbe je ou fikse sou chemen ki dwat devan ou lan.
Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
26 Chache konnen byen sa w'ap fè. Konsa, tou sa w'ap fè ap mache byen pou ou.
Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
27 Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch. Pa lage kò ou nan fè sa ki mal.
Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
