Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
Pitit mwen yo, koute yon papa lè l'ap ban nou bon levasyon. Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou ka gen konprann.
2 I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
Pa janm bliye anyen nan sa m'ap moutre nou la a: Se bon konsèy m'ap ban nou.
3 For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
Lè mwen te timoun piti lakay papa m', lè sa a mwen te sèl pitit manman mwen.
4 And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
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.
5 Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
Chache gen konesans ak bon konprann. Pa janm bliye sa m'ap di ou la a. Pa vire do ba yo.
6 Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
Pa lage konesans ou. L'a toujou pwoteje ou. renmen l', li p'ap kite anyen rive ou.
7 The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
Chache gen konesans, se premye bagay yon nonm lespri dwe fè. Nenpòt kisa ou ka genyen, bay li pou ou vin gen konprann.
8 Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
renmen konesans, l'ap fè ou mache tèt wo. Kenbe l', pa lage l'. L'a fè yo respekte ou.
9 She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
Se va yon bèl bagay pou ou, tankou yon kouwòn sou tèt ou. Se va yon lwanj pou ou kote ou pase.
10 Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
Koute sa m'ap di ou, pitit mwen. Pa bliye sa m'ap moutre ou la a, konsa w'a viv lontan.
11 I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
Mwen moutre ou jan pou ou viv ak bon konprann. Mwen fè ou konnen jan pou ou mache dwat.
12 When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
Lè w'ap viv avèk bon konprann, anyen p'ap bare wout ou. Ou mèt ap kouri, ou p'ap janm bite sou anyen.
13 Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
Pa janm bliye sa yo te moutre ou, kenbe l' fèm. Pa kite l' chape anba men ou, se tout lavi ou.
14 Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
Pa fè menm chemen ak mechan yo. Pa swiv egzanp moun ki deprave yo.
15 Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
Pa fè sa, pa pran chemen sa yo menm. Refize fè tankou yo, fè chemen pa ou.
16 For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
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.
17 They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
Se nan fè mechanste yo jwenn manje pou yo manje. Se nan fè moun mal yo jwenn diven pou yo bwè.
18 But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
Chemen moun k'ap mache dwat yo tankou solèy k'ap leve. Chak lè, l'ap vin pi klere jouk li fin jou nèt.
19 The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
Chemen moun mechan yo fè nwa kou lannwit. Yo pa ka wè sou kisa y'ap bite.
20 My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
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.
21 Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
Pa janm kite yo soti devan je ou. Kenbe yo nan kè ou. Pa janm bliye yo.
22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
Se lavi pou moun ki jwenn yo. Se lasante pou tout moun ki konprann yo.
23 Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
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.
24 Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
Pa janm kite manti soti nan bouch ou, ni move pawòl, ni mo deplase.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
Gade dwat devan ou. Kenbe je ou fikse sou chemen ki dwat devan ou lan.
26 Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
Chache konnen byen sa w'ap fè. Konsa, tou sa w'ap fè ap mache byen pou ou.
27 Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch. Pa lage kò ou nan fè sa ki mal.
