Pwovèb 21
1 Seyè a dirije lespri yon wa, menm jan li dirije yon kouran dlo nan kannal. Li mennen l' kote li vle.
The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.
2 Lèzòm mete nan lide yo tou sa y'ap fè dwat. Men, pa bliye, se Seyè a k'ap jije sa ki nan kè yo.
People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their motives.
3 Fè sa ki dwat. Pa nan patipri. Sa fè Seyè a plezi pi plis pase bèt ou ta touye pou li.
Doing what's right and fair pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.
4 Fè awogans, gonfle lestonmak yo sou moun, se sa ase mechan yo ap chache fè. Tou sa se peche.
Pride and arrogance are the sins the wicked live by.
5 Lè ou pran san ou pou ou travay, tou sa w'ap fè ap ba ou benefis. Men, lè ou twò prese, ou p'ap janm gen anyen.
Those who plan ahead and work hard will have plenty, while those who act rashly end up poor.
6 Moun k'ap mache bay manti pou fè lajan ap kouri dèyè van. Se lanmò y'ap chache.
Money made by lies is like smoke in the wind—a chase that ends in death.
7 Move zak mechan yo ap fè a ap fini ak yo, paske yo derefize fè sa ki dwat devan Bondye.
The destruction caused by the wicked will destroy them, for they refuse to do what's right.
8 Moun k'ap fè sa ki mal ap mache sou chemen plen detou. Men, inonsan yo fè sa ki dwat.
Guilty people live crooked lives, but the innocent follow straight paths.
9 Pito ou rete pou kont ou nan yon kwen galata pase pou ou rete nan kay ak yon fanm ki toujou ap chache kont.
It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
10 Mechan toujou anvi fè sa ki mal. Yo pa gen pitye pou pesonn.
Evil people love to do wrong, they don't care what pain they cause anyone.
11 Lè yo pini yon moun ki renmen pase lòt nan betiz, se yon leson pou moun ki pa gen lespri. Men, moun ki gen bon konprann, lè yo pale avè l', li vin gen plis konesans.
When a mocker is punished, an immature person can learn wisdom. When the wise are educated, they gain knowledge.
12 Bondye pa nan patipri, li konnen sa k'ap pase anndan kay mechan yo. Li fè malè tonbe sou yo.
The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.
13 Si ou fèmen zòrèy ou pou ou pa tande pòv k'ap mande ou lacharite, konsa tou pesonn p'ap tande ou lè w'a mande sekou.
If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.
14 Lè yon moun fache sou ou, si ou ba li yon kado an kachèt, w'a fè l' vin frèt. Wi, yon kado glise nan pòch li ap kase fe l'.
A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.
15 Lè yo rann jistis san patipri, moun ki mache dwat yo gen kè kontan. Men, mechan yo gen kè kase.
When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.
16 Lè yon moun pèdi chemen l' pou l' aji tankou moun fou, se lanmò k'ap fè li siyon.
Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.
17 Lè ou renmen plezi, w'ap toujou pòv. Lè ou renmen bon bweson ak bon manje, ou p'ap janm gen lajan.
If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.
18 Lè pou malè ta tonbe sou moun ki mache dwat yo, se sou mechan yo li tonbe.
The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.
19 Pito ou viv pou kont ou nan yon dezè pase pou ou viv nan kay ak yon fanm ki tout tan ap chache kont, ki tout tan ap plenyen.
It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.
20 Moun ki gen konprann ap gen gwo richès ak kantite bon manje lakay yo. Men, moun sòt gaspiye tout lajan yo.
The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.
21 Lè yon moun pa fè lenjistis, lè li gen bon kè, l'ap viv lontan. Tout zafè l' ap mache byen, y'ap respekte l'.
If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.
22 Yon nonm lespri ka pran yon lavil kote ki gen anpil grannèg. L'ap kraze fòs ki t'ap fè yo pa pè anyen an.
The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.
23 Veye bouch ou ak lang ou, ou p'ap nan pwoblèm.
If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
24 Moun k'ap pase Bondye nan betiz, se moun ki radi, se moun ki awogan. Yo pa gen konsiderasyon pou pesonn.
A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.
25 Parese pa anvi leve ni lou ni lejè. Se sa k'ap touye l' la tou.
Slackers die hungry because they refuse to work.
26 Tout lajounen l'ap kalkile sou sa l' ta renmen genyen. Men, moun ki mache dwat yo gen pou bay, y'ap bay san gad dèyè.
Some people only want more and more all the time, but the good give generously.
27 Seyè a pa ka sipòte lè mechan yo ap ofri bèt pou touye pou li. Sa pi mal toujou lè yo ofri bèt pou touye ba li avèk lide mechanste dèyè tèt yo.
The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.
28 Temwen k'ap bay manti gen pou l' mouri. Men, yo p'ap koupe pawòl nan bouch moun ki peze sa l'ap di.
The lies of a false witness vanish away, but the words of a reliable witness will stand.
29 Mechan toujou pran pòz radi l'. Men, moun ki mache dwat la konnen sa l'ap fè.
The wicked act as bold as brass, but those who live right consider carefully what they're doing.
30 Devan Seyè a pa gen ni moun konnen, ni moun lespri, ni moun ki gen bon konprann.
Whatever wisdom, understanding, or guidance you may have is nothing before the Lord.
31 Moun pare chwal pou y' al fè lagè, men se Seyè a k'ap deside kilès k'ap genyen batay la.
You can get your horse ready for battle, but the victory is the Lord's.
