Pwovèb 18
1 Moun k'ap viv apa se tèt li ase li konnen. Li move sou tout moun ki vle ba li bon konsèy.
He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
2 Moun sòt pa pran plezi l' nan chache konprann. Tou sa l'ap chache se fè moun konprann li gen lespri.
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
3 Y'ap meprize moun k'ap fè mechanste. Moun ki pa fè respè tèt yo gen pou yo wont.
Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
4 Pawòl moun ki gen konprann fon kou lanmè, fre tankou yon sous k'ap koule tout tan.
The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5 Sa pa bon pou ou pran pou moun mechan, ni pou ou enpoze yo rann moun inonsan jistis.
Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 Depi moun sòt ap pale, se kont l'ap chache. Si ou koute pawòl nan bouch li, w'a ba l' kou.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
7 Bouch moun sòt se kondannasyon li. Pawòl ki soti nan bouch li tounen pèlen pou li.
The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 Tripotay dous nan zòrèy moun ki vle tande yo. Sa mache nan san yo.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 Moun ki parese nan travay li se menmman parèyman ak moun k'ap defèt sa k'ap fèt.
He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
10 Seyè a, se yon gwo ranpa byen solid. Se la moun k'ap mache dwat yo kouri al chache pwoteksyon.
The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
11 Pou moun rich yo, byen yo tankou yon ranpa byen solid. Yo mete nan tèt yo se sa k'ap pwoteje yo.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Lè w'ap fè awogans, yo pa lwen kraze ou. Lè ou fè kò ou piti, y'a fè lwanj ou.
The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
13 Moun ki prese reponn san koute sa y'ap di l', se moun sòt li ye. Li gen pou l' wont.
Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
14 Lè yon moun anvi viv, sa ede l' anpil lè li malad. Men, si li dekouraje, ki moun ki ka remoute kouraj li?
The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
15 Yon moun lespri ap toujou chache gen plis konesans. Zòrèy moun ki gen bon konprann toujou pare pou l' ka konnen plis toujou.
The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 Kado ou fè louvri chemen pou ou toupatou, ata chemen ki mennen lakay grannèg.
The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
17 Moun ki pale anvan nan tribinal toujou sanble li gen rezon. Lè lòt moun lan parèt, kat je kontre, manti kaba.
The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
18 Lè de grannèg gen kont, jij yo fè tiraj osò pou konnen kilès pou yo bay rezon.
The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
19 Li pi fasil pou mete lapè nan yon gwo lavil pase pou ou rekonsilye de frè ki nan kont. Lè yo fache, kè yonn se pòt prizon pou lòt.
A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20 Rekonpans yon moun chita sou sa ki soti nan bouch li.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Sa ou di ka lavi pou ou, li ka lanmò pou ou. Sa ou chwazi, se sa w'ap jwenn.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 Lè yon nonm jwenn yon bon madanm, se yon bon bagay. Se yon gwo favè Seyè a fè l'.
[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
23 Lè yon pòv ap pale, li toujou nan tanpri souple. Men, moun rich toujou ap rele sou moun.
The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
24 Gen zanmi se pran yo vin pran. Men, gen zanmi tou yo plis pase frè.
A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
