Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
Lè chèf envite ou manje sou menm tab ak li, pa janm bliye ki moun li ye.
2 and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
Si ou se yon moun ki gen bon lapeti, kontwole bouch ou.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Pa pote lanvi sou bon ti manje l'ap ofri ou yo. Se ka yon pèlen li tann pou ou.
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
Pa touye tèt ou ap kouri dèyè lajan pou ou vin rich. Wete lide ou sou sa.
5 When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
Paske, anvan ou bat je ou, li gen tan disparèt. Ou ta di lajan gen zèl. Li rete konsa, li vole, li ale.
6 Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;
Pa chita pou ou manje sou menm tab ak moun ki tikoulout. Pa pote lanvi sou manje l'ap ofri ou.
7 for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
Li chich ata ak tèt pa li, ale wè avè ou. L'ap di ou: Manje non, monchè! Bwè non! Men se pa ak tout kè li l'ap di ou sa.
8 You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
W'a vonmi tou sa ou te manje a. Tout bèl pawòl ou te di l' yo p'ap sèvi ou anyen.
9 Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Pa chache fè yon moun san konprann konprann anyen. Li p'ap tande anyen nan sa w'ap di l' la. Lèfini, l'ap meprize ou met sou li.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Pa janm deplase bòn tè kote yo te ye depi lontan an. Pa antre sou jaden ki pou timoun san papa.
11 for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
Se Bondye k'ap defann yo, li gen anpil pouvwa. L'a plede kòz yo kont ou.
12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
Mete tèt ou an plas lè y'ap moutre ou kichòy. Louvri zòrèy ou lè yon moun ki gen konesans ap pale.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
Ou pa bezwen pè bat yon timoun. Yon bèl kal, sa p'ap touye l'.
Okontrè, si ou bat li, w'a sove nanm li pou l' pa mouri. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
Pitit mwen, si ou gen bon konprann, mwen p'ap manke kontan.
16 My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
M'a kontan anpil lè m'a tande bon pawòl k'ap soti nan bouch ou.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
Pa pote lanvi sou moun k'ap fè sa ki mal. Nan tou sa w'ap fè, toujou gen krentif pou Bondye.
18 For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
Paske gen denmen. Se pa pou gremesi w'ap tann sa w'ap tann lan.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course.
Louvri zòrèy ou, gason mwen, pou ou ka gen bon konprann, pou ou ka mache dwat. Kalkile byen kote w'ap mete pye ou, pou ou ka mache dwat.
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
Pa fè zanmi avèk moun k'ap bwè twòp, ak moun k'ap fè safte.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
Paske moun k'ap fè metye bwè ak moun ki afre ap vin pòv. Si ou pase tout tan ou ap dòmi, talè konsa w'ap mache yon men devan yon men dèyè.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Pitit mwen, koute papa ou ki fè ou. Pa meprize manman ou lè li fin granmoun.
23 Invest in truth and never sell it— in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Verite, konesans, lespri ak bon konprann, se bagay ou mèt peye chè pou ou genyen. Men, pa janm vann sa.
24 The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
Papa ki gen yon pitit k'ap mache dwat ap toujou kontan. Manman ki fè yon pitit ki gen bon konprann ap toujou gen kè kontan.
25 May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
Fè kè papa ou ak manman ou kontan. Fè kè manman ki fè ou la kontan.
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
Pitit mwen, louvri zòrèy ou pou tande sa m'ap di ou. Louvri je ou byen pou ou wè jan m'ap viv.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
Fanm jennès se tankou yon twou pèlen, fanm adiltè se tankou yon pi jis jis.
28 Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.
Tankou vòlò, y'ap pare pèlen pou ou. Yo fè anpil gason pèdi tèt yo.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Ki moun ki nan tèt chaje, ki nan lapenn? Ki moun ki toujou nan kont, ki tou tan ap plenyen? Ki moun k'ap pran kou san rezon, ki gen je yo tou wouj?
30 Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.
Se moun k'ap bwè twòp gwòg, moun k'ap kouri dèyè tranpe.
31 Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
Pa kite bweson pran nanm ou, ou te mèt wè jan li bèl, jan li klè nan vè a. Lè ou bwè l', li desann dous nan gòj ou.
32 In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
Men, pita ou santi se tankou yon move sèpan ki mòde ou, yon sèpan aspik ki pike ou.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
W'ap wè tout bagay ap vire devan je ou, w'ap depale.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
W'ap santi tankou si ou te sou lanmè: w'ap tankou si ou te sou tèt yon ma batiman.
35 “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
Lè sa a w'a di: Gen lè yo bat mwen, mwen pa santi sa. Gen lè yo te ban m' kou, mwen pa konn sa. Kilè m'a leve la a? Mwen ta pran yon ti kou ankò.
