Pwovèb 4
1 Pitit mwen yo, koute yon papa lè l'ap ban nou bon levasyon. Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou ka gen konprann.
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2 Pa janm bliye anyen nan sa m'ap moutre nou la a: Se bon konsèy m'ap ban nou.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
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, tender and an only child in the sight of 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.
He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
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 understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate 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.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Chache gen konesans, se premye bagay yon nonm lespri dwe fè. Nenpòt kisa ou ka genyen, bay li pou ou vin gen konprann.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 renmen konesans, l'ap fè ou mache tèt wo. Kenbe l', pa lage l'. L'a fè yo respekte ou.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
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 give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
10 Koute sa m'ap di ou, pitit mwen. Pa bliye sa m'ap moutre ou la a, konsa w'a viv lontan.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 Mwen moutre ou jan pou ou viv ak bon konprann. Mwen fè ou konnen jan pou ou mache dwat.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
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 steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Pa janm bliye sa yo te moutre ou, kenbe l' fèm. Pa kite l' chape anba men ou, se tout lavi ou.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t 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.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Pa fè sa, pa pran chemen sa yo menm. Refize fè tankou yo, fè chemen pa ou.
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
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 don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 Se nan fè mechanste yo jwenn manje pou yo manje. Se nan fè moun mal yo jwenn diven pou yo bwè.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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 path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 Chemen moun mechan yo fè nwa kou lannwit. Yo pa ka wè sou kisa y'ap bite.
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
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, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Pa janm kite yo soti devan je ou. Kenbe yo nan kè ou. Pa janm bliye yo.
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your heart.
22 Se lavi pou moun ki jwenn yo. Se lasante pou tout moun ki konprann yo.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
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.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Pa janm kite manti soti nan bouch ou, ni move pawòl, ni mo deplase.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Gade dwat devan ou. Kenbe je ou fikse sou chemen ki dwat devan ou lan.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Chache konnen byen sa w'ap fè. Konsa, tou sa w'ap fè ap mache byen pou ou.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch. Pa lage kò ou nan fè sa ki mal.
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
