Pwovèb 17
1 Pito ou manje yon grenn bannann chèch ak kè poze pase pou ou fè gwo fèt nan mitan dezagreman.
Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
2 Yon esklav ki gen konprann va chèf sou yon pitit ki fè papa l' wont. L'a jwenn pa l' nan eritaj papa a tankou tout pitit.
A wise servant rules over a son causing shame, And he apportions an inheritance in the midst of brothers.
3 Se dife sèl ki ka fè ou konnen si lò osinon ajan ou genyen an se bon kalite. Konsa tou, se Seyè a sèl ki konnen sa ki nan kè moun.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
4 Mechan yo toujou prèt pou koute moun k'ap di move pawòl. Zòrèy mantò yo toujou louvri pou koute moun k'ap bay manti.
An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Lè w'ap pase yon pòv malere nan betiz, se Bondye ki fè l' la w'ap derespekte. Moun ki kontan lè malè rive yon lòt, Bondye ap pini l'.
Whoever is mocking at the poor Has reproached his Maker, Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Pitit pitit se rekonpans granmoun. Manman ak papa se kontantman pitit.
Sons’ sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Yon moun sòt pa ka di anyen ki bon. Konsa tou, yon moun serye pa nan bay manti.
A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.
8 Moun ki sèvi ak lajan pou pran tèt moun konprann lajan se wanga. Yo kwè se pou yo reyisi nan tou sa y'ap fè.
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Wherever it turns, it prospers.
9 Si ou vle moun renmen ou, padonnen lè yo fè ou mal. Si w'ap mache repete bagay moun fè ki mal, w'ap mete zanmi dozado.
Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoever is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 Lè ou fè yon moun ki gen konprann repwòch, sa touche kè l'. Men, ata san kout baton p'ap chanje yon moun sòt.
Rebuke comes down on the intelligent More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
11 Mechan toujou ap fè rebelyon, men y'a voye yon sanmanman regle avè l'.
An evil man seeks only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 Pito ou kontre ak yon manman lous k'ap chache pitit li pase pou ou tonbe sou yon moun fou foli moute.
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And—not a fool in his folly.
13 Si ou aji mal avèk moun ki fè ou byen, malè ap toujou rive lakay ou.
Whoever is returning evil for good, Evil does not move from his house.
14 Lè yon kont pete, se tankou dlo ki kase dig kannal. Anvan batay mete pye, chape kò ou.
The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And leave the strife before it is meddled with.
15 Se de kalite moun Seyè a pa ka sipòte: moun k'ap kondannen inonsan ak moun k'ap pran pou mechan yo.
Whoever is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to YHWH.
16 Yon moun sòt te mèt gen kont lajan nan men l', li p'ap janm ka gen konesans. Li pa gen konprann.
Why [is] this—a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart—there is none?
17 Yon bon zanmi p'ap janm trayi. Jou malè l'ap tankou yon frè pou ou.
The friend is loving at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
18 Fòk yon moun pèdi tèt li nèt pou l' garanti dèt yon lòt moun.
A man lacking heart is striking hands, He becomes a guarantor before his friend.
19 Moun ki renmen chache kont renmen fè sa ki mal. Moun k'ap pale avèk awogans, se moun k'ap mache ak sèkèy yo anba bra yo.
Whoever is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoever is making his entrance high is seeking destruction.
20 Yon moun ki pa gen bon lide nan tèt li p'ap janm gen kè kontan. Moun ki gen move lang ap toujou nan traka.
The perverse of heart does not find good, And the [one] turned in his tongue falls into evil.
21 Se lapenn pou yon papa ki fè yon pitit ki san konprann. Papa yon pitit sòt p'ap janm gen kè kontan.
Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
22 Kè kontan bay lasante. Men, lè ou kagou, w'ap deperi sou pye.
A rejoicing heart does good to the body, And a struck spirit dries the bone.
23 Malveyan pran lajan nan men moun pou enpoze jistis fèt.
The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
24 Yon moun ki gen bon konprann toujou ap chache konesans. Men, moun sòt pa konn sa li vle.
The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool—at the end of the earth.
25 Yon timoun ki san konprann, se chagren pou papa l', se gwo lapenn pou manman l' ki fè l'.
A foolish son [is] a provocation to his father, And bitterness to her bearing him.
26 Se pa jistis pou inonsan peye pou koupab. Pa gen jistis lè yo bat moun ki pa fè mal.
Also, [it] is not good to fine the righteous, To strike nobles for uprightness.
27 Moun ki gen konesans pa nan pale anpil. Moun ki rete dousman se moun ki gen konprann.
One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
28 Moun ki gen lespri pa janm cho pou pale. Men moun sòt, lè yo rete ak bouch yo fèmen, yo pase pou moun ki gen konprann.
Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips [seems] intelligent!
