Pwovèb 6
1 Pitit mwen, si ou pwomèt pou ou reskonsab dèt yon zanmi ou fè, si ou bay pawòl ou pou lajan yon lòt moun prete,
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.
2 si yo pran pawòl ki soti nan bouch ou pou mele ou, si pwomès ou te fè yo tounen yon pèlen pou ou,
Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.
3 ay, pitit mwen! men sa pou ou fè pou ou wete tèt ou nan traka sa a. Kouri al jwenn zanmi ou lan, kenbe l' kout.
Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:
4 Pa dòmi sou sa. Pa kite sa trennen.
Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.
5 Degaje ou chape kò ou anba men l', tankou kabrit k'ap chape kò l' anba men kaptè, tankou zwazo k'ap bat pou l' sove nan men chasè.
Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Ou menm parese, al pran leson nan men foumi yo. Ale wè jan y'ap viv pou ou manyè konprann lavi.
Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:
7 Yo pa bezwen moun pou di yo sa pou yo fè. Yo pa bezwen moun pou veye yo, ni pou ba yo lòd.
Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,
8 Men, yo pase mwa chalè ap fè pwovizyon. Nan tan rekòt, yo ranmase manje mete la.
Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 Parese, kilè w'a sispann pase tout jounen ou kouche sou do? Kilè w'a souke kò ou leve sot nan dòmi?
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?
10 W'ap di: Kite m' fè yon ti dòmi. Kite m' fè yon ti kabicha non. M'ap lonje kò m' pou m' pran yon ti repo.
Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:
11 Antan w'ap dòmi an, san ou pa konnen, se pòv w'ap vin pi pòv. Grangou ap tonbe sou ou tankou yon vòlè nan gran chemen.
And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.
12 Mechan yo fin deprave. Y'ap mache bay manti toupatou.
A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,
13 Y'ap twenzi je yo sou moun, y'ap peze gwo zòtèy yo atè. Y'ap fè siy ak dwèt yo.
He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.
14 Se move lide ase ki nan kè yo, yo toujou sou plan. Kote yo pase y'ap pouse dife.
With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.
15 Se poutèt sa, y'ap rete konsa y'ap fini, y'ap glise tonbe san yo p'ap ka leve ankò.
To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.
16 Gen sis bagay Seyè a pa vle wè. Sa m'ap di la a: Gen menm sèt bagay li pa ka sipòte:
Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:
17 Se moun k'ap gonfle lestonmak yo sou moun, se moun k'ap bay manti, se moun k'ap touye moun inonsan,
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 se moun k'ap fè move lide nan tèt yo pou fè mechanste, se moun ki toujou pare pou fè sa ki mal,
A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,
19 se fo temwen k'ap bay manti sou moun, se moun k'ap mete frè ak zanmi dozado.
A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
20 Pitit mwen, toujou fè sa papa ou di ou fè. Pa janm bliye sa manman ou te moutre ou.
My son, beep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
21 Kenbe pawòl yo nan kè ou, pa janm bliye yo. Mete yo nan kou ou tankou yon kolye.
Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.
22 Pawòl sa yo va moutre ou bon chemen nan tou sa w'ap fè. Y'ap pwoteje ou lè w'ap dòmi lannwit. Y'a ba ou konsèy lè je ou klè.
When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.
23 Pawòl sa yo ap tankou yon lanp pou ou. Sa yo moutre ou ap tankou yon limyè nan lavi ou. Lè y'ap korije ou, lè y'ap rale zòrèy ou, se moutre y'ap moutre ou chemen lavi.
Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 Y'ap fè ou rete lwen fanm k'ap twonpe mari yo, pou ou pa pran nan pawòl dous madan marye ki nan dezòd.
That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.
25 Yo te mèt bèl kou yo bèl, pa kite yo pran tèt ou. Pa kite yo pran tèt ou lè y'ap fè je dou ba ou.
Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:
26 Yon jennès ka koute yon kraze kòb. Men, yon fanm adiltè dèyè pou l' pran tou sa ou genyen.
For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.
27 Ou pa ka sere dife anndan rad sou ou pou rad la pa boule.
Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?
28 Ou pa ka mache sou chabon dife pou pye ou pa boule.
Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?
29 Konsa tou, se yon gwo danje pou ou kouri dèyè fanm yon lòt gason. Depi ou manyen yon fanm konsa, ou gen pou ou peye pou sa.
So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.
30 Menm lè yon vòlò vòlò paske li grangou, se pa sa ki di li pa vòlò pou sa.
The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:
31 Si yo bare l', y'ap fè l' peye sèt fwa lavalè sa l' pran an. Y'a fè l' bay tou sa li gen lakay li.
And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.
32 Men, yon nonm ki fè adiltè, se moun fou li ye, se detwi l'ap detwi tèt li.
But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:
33 L'ap pran baton. Y'ap pase l' anba kont betiz, l'ap toujou wont pou sa l' fè a.
He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:
34 Lè yon mari ap fè jalouzi pou madanm li, nanpwen move tankou l'. Jou li mete men sou nèg la, pa gen anyen li p'ap fè l'.
Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,
35 Li p'ap asepte lajan. Nanpwen kado ki pou fè l' bliye sa.
Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.
