Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
Pitit mwen yo, koute yon papa lè l'ap ban nou bon levasyon. Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou ka gen konprann.
2 I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
Pa janm bliye anyen nan sa m'ap moutre nou la a: Se bon konsèy m'ap ban nou.
3 When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,
Lè mwen te timoun piti lakay papa m', lè sa a mwen te sèl pitit manman mwen.
4 he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and 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 Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject 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 abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
Pa lage konesans ou. L'a toujou pwoteje ou. renmen l', li p'ap kite anyen rive ou.
7 Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
Chache gen konesans, se premye bagay yon nonm lespri dwe fè. Nenpòt kisa ou ka genyen, bay li pou ou vin gen konprann.
8 Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
renmen konesans, l'ap fè ou mache tèt wo. Kenbe l', pa lage l'. L'a fè yo respekte ou.
9 She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful 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 pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
Koute sa m'ap di ou, pitit mwen. Pa bliye sa m'ap moutre ou la a, konsa w'a viv lontan.
11 I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
Mwen moutre ou jan pou ou viv ak bon konprann. Mwen fè ou konnen jan pou ou mache dwat.
12 When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
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 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; 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 follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
Pa fè menm chemen ak mechan yo. Pa swiv egzanp moun ki deprave yo.
15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
Pa fè sa, pa pran chemen sa yo menm. Refize fè tankou yo, fè chemen pa ou.
16 For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
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 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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 righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
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 like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
Chemen moun mechan yo fè nwa kou lannwit. Yo pa ka wè sou kisa y'ap bite.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your 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 Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
Pa janm kite yo soti devan je ou. Kenbe yo nan kè ou. Pa janm bliye yo.
22 For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
Se lavi pou moun ki jwenn yo. Se lasante pou tout moun ki konprann yo.
23 Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
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 Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk 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 fix your gaze straight before you.
Gade dwat devan ou. Kenbe je ou fikse sou chemen ki dwat devan ou lan.
26 Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
Chache konnen byen sa w'ap fè. Konsa, tou sa w'ap fè ap mache byen pou ou.
27 Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch. Pa lage kò ou nan fè sa ki mal.
