Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend 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 give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
Pa janm bliye anyen nan sa m'ap moutre nou la a: Se bon konsèy m'ap ban nou.
3 For I also was my father’s son, tender and as 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 said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt 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 Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline 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 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
Pa lage konesans ou. L'a toujou pwoteje ou. renmen l', li p'ap kite anyen rive ou.
7 The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase 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 Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
renmen konesans, l'ap fè ou mache tèt wo. Kenbe l', pa lage l'. L'a fè yo respekte ou.
9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee 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 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
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 shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
Mwen moutre ou jan pou ou viv ak bon konprann. Mwen fè ou konnen jan pou ou mache dwat.
12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
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 on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
Pa janm bliye sa yo te moutre ou, kenbe l' fèm. Pa kite l' chape anba men ou, se tout lavi ou.
14 Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
Pa fè menm chemen ak mechan yo. Pa swiv egzanp moun ki deprave yo.
15 Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
Pa fè sa, pa pran chemen sa yo menm. Refize fè tankou yo, fè chemen pa ou.
16 For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
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 wickedness, and 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, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
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 wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
Chemen moun mechan yo fè nwa kou lannwit. Yo pa ka wè sou kisa y'ap bite.
20 My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
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 depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy 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 that find them, and health to all flesh.
Se lavi pou moun ki jwenn yo. Se lasante pou tout moun ki konprann yo.
23 With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
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 thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
Pa janm kite manti soti nan bouch ou, ni move pawòl, ni mo deplase.
25 Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
Gade dwat devan ou. Kenbe je ou fikse sou chemen ki dwat devan ou lan.
26 Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
Chache konnen byen sa w'ap fè. Konsa, tou sa w'ap fè ap mache byen pou ou.
27 Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch. Pa lage kò ou nan fè sa ki mal.
