Pwovèb 24
1 Pa anvye sò mechan yo. Pa chache fè zanmi ak yo.
Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 Yon sèl bagay ki nan tèt yo, se fè mechanste. Yon sèl pawòl ki nan bouch yo, se fè moun mal.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Bon konprann ap fè kay ou kanpe. Bon konesans ap fè l' kanpe fèm.
Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
4 Kote ki gen konesans, pyès kay yo plen ak bon bagay ki koute chè.
And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 Pito ou gen bon konprann pase ou gen fòs. Wi, moun ki gen konesans vo plis pase moun ki gwonèg.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 Paske, se pou ou ranje plan ou anvan ou antre nan batay. Plis ou gen moun k'ap ba ou konsèy, plis ou gen chans pou ou genyen batay la.
For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Pawòl moun konprann twò wo pou moun san konprann. Yo pa gen anyen pou yo di kote koze serye ap pale.
Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 Lè yon moun tout tan ap kalkile jan pou l' fè sa ki mal, y'ap rele l' malveyan.
He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
9 Tou sa moun san konprann gen lide fè, se fè sa ki mal. Konsa tou, moun pa vle wè moun k'ap plede pase moun nan betiz.
The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 Si jou malè ou pa gen kouraj pou kenbe, ou pa t' janm gen fòs vre.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
11 Delivre moun y'ap trennen pou y' al touye. Sove moun y'ap bourade pou y' al egzekite.
Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
12 Si ou pran pòz ou pa t' konn sa, chonje Bondye. Li menm k'ap jije sa ki nan kè moun, l'ap wè sa. Li menm k'ap veye tou sa w'ap fè, l'ap konn sa. L'ap fè tout moun peye pou sa yo fè.
If thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not this', doth not He that weigheth the hearts consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?
13 Pitit mwen, bwè siwo myèl, sa bon pou ou. Menm jan siwo myèl k'ap koule soti nan gato myèl dous nan bouch ou,
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
14 se konsa konesans ak bon konprann bon pou nanm ou. Si ou genyen yo, w'a fè chemen ou nan lavi. Sa w'ap tann lan, lavalas p'ap pote l' ale.
So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Pa janm fè plan tankou mechan yo pou chache fofile kò ou anndan kay moun k'ap mache dwat. Pa chache devalize kote l' rete a.
Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
16 Paske, moun k'ap mache dwat yo te mèt tonbe sèt fwa. Pa pè, y'ap toujou leve ankò. Men, nan mechanste yo, mechan yo ap tonbe, yo p'ap ka leve ankò.
For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
17 Pa prese fè kè ou kontan lè malè rive lènmi ou. Pa kouri fè fèt lè li bite.
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 Seyè a ap wè sa. Sa p'ap fè l' plezi. Li ka rive pa pini l' poutèt sa.
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
19 Pa kite moun k'ap fè sa ki mal fè ou pèdi tèt ou. Pa anvye sò mechan yo.
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 Paske mechan yo pa pral lwen. Lavi yo tankou yon lanp k'ap mouri.
For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Pitit mwen, gen krentif pou Seyè a. Respekte wa a. Ou pa gen anyen pou ou wè ak moun k'ap kenbe tèt ak yo.
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
22 Moun sa yo ap rete konsa, malè ap tonbe sou yo. Ou pa janm konnen ki kalite malè Seyè a osinon wa a ka fè rive sou ou.
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
23 Men lòt pawòl moun ki gen bon konprann yo te di ankò. Sa pa bon pou yon jij gade sou figi moun lè l'ap rann jijman.
These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 Lè yon jij di yon moun ki fè sa ki mal: Se ou ki gen rezon, jij sa a, tout moun gen pou madichonnen l'. Y'ap rayi l' toupatou sou latè.
He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
25 Men, jij ki pini moun ki antò a va gen kè kontan. Bondye va beni l'. Tout zafè l' va mache byen.
But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Lè ou bay yon bon repons, ou aji tankou yon bon zanmi.
He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Regle tout zafè ou. Mete jaden ou anfòm. Apre sa, ou mèt tabli.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
28 Pa leve pale sou do frè parèy ou san rezon. Pa bay manti sou li.
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Pa janm di li fè m', m'ap fè l' tou. M'ap fè l' peye sa li fè a.
Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'
30 Mwen pase bò jaden yon nonm parese, bò jaden rezen yon moun ki san konprann.
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 Pikan te fin pran jaden an nèt. Move zèb t'ap pouse toupatou. Lantouraj jaden yo te fin tonbe.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Lè mwen wè sa, mwen kalkile. Mwen gade, sa ban m' yon leson.
Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
33 Dòmi, kabicha, kouche sou do, kwaze men ou dèyè tèt ou... Se bon!
'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
34 W'ap rete konsa, w'ap wè ou pòv. Mizè ap tonbe sou ou tankou yon ansasen san ou pa atann.
So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
