Pwovèb 23
1 Lè chèf envite ou manje sou menm tab ak li, pa janm bliye ki moun li ye.
If you sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before you:
2 Si ou se yon moun ki gen bon lapeti, kontwole bouch ou.
and apply your hand, knowing that it behoves you to prepare such [meats]: but if you are very insatiable,
3 Pa pote lanvi sou bon ti manje l'ap ofri ou yo. Se ka yon pèlen li tann pou ou.
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 Pa touye tèt ou ap kouri dèyè lajan pou ou vin rich. Wete lide ou sou sa.
If you are poor, measure not yourself with a rich man; but refrain yourself in your wisdom.
5 Paske, anvan ou bat je ou, li gen tan disparèt. Ou ta di lajan gen zèl. Li rete konsa, li vole, li ale.
If you should fix your eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 Pa chita pou ou manje sou menm tab ak moun ki tikoulout. Pa pote lanvi sou manje l'ap ofri ou.
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire you his meats:
7 Li chich ata ak tèt pa li, ale wè avè ou. L'ap di ou: Manje non, monchè! Bwè non! Men se pa ak tout kè li l'ap di ou sa.
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to yourself, nor eat your morsel with him:
8 W'a vonmi tou sa ou te manje a. Tout bèl pawòl ou te di l' yo p'ap sèvi ou anyen.
for he will vomit it up, and spoil your fair words.
9 Pa chache fè yon moun san konprann konprann anyen. Li p'ap tande anyen nan sa w'ap di l' la. Lèfini, l'ap meprize ou met sou li.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at your wise words.
10 Pa janm deplase bòn tè kote yo te ye depi lontan an. Pa antre sou jaden ki pou timoun san papa.
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 Se Bondye k'ap defann yo, li gen anpil pouvwa. L'a plede kòz yo kont ou.
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with you.
12 Mete tèt ou an plas lè y'ap moutre ou kichòy. Louvri zòrèy ou lè yon moun ki gen konesans ap pale.
Apply your heart to instruction, and prepare your ears for words of discretion.
13 Ou pa bezwen pè bat yon timoun. Yon bèl kal, sa p'ap touye l'.
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For you shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Pitit mwen, si ou gen bon konprann, mwen p'ap manke kontan.
Son, if your heart be wise, you shall also gladden my heart;
16 M'a kontan anpil lè m'a tande bon pawòl k'ap soti nan bouch ou.
and your lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 Pa pote lanvi sou moun k'ap fè sa ki mal. Nan tou sa w'ap fè, toujou gen krentif pou Bondye.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Paske gen denmen. Se pa pou gremesi w'ap tann sa w'ap tann lan.
For if you should keep these things, you shall have posterity; and your hope shall not be removed.
19 Louvri zòrèy ou, gason mwen, pou ou ka gen bon konprann, pou ou ka mache dwat. Kalkile byen kote w'ap mete pye ou, pou ou ka mache dwat.
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of your heart.
20 Pa fè zanmi avèk moun k'ap bwè twòp, ak moun k'ap fè safte.
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 Paske moun k'ap fè metye bwè ak moun ki afre ap vin pòv. Si ou pase tout tan ou ap dòmi, talè konsa w'ap mache yon men devan yon men dèyè.
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 Pitit mwen, koute papa ou ki fè ou. Pa meprize manman ou lè li fin granmoun.
Listen, [my] son, to your father which begot you, and despise not [your mother] because she is grown old.
23 Verite, konesans, lespri ak bon konprann, se bagay ou mèt peye chè pou ou genyen. Men, pa janm vann sa.
24 Papa ki gen yon pitit k'ap mache dwat ap toujou kontan. Manman ki fè yon pitit ki gen bon konprann ap toujou gen kè kontan.
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 Fè kè papa ou ak manman ou kontan. Fè kè manman ki fè ou la kontan.
Let your father and your mother rejoice over you, and let her that bore you be glad.
26 Pitit mwen, louvri zòrèy ou pou tande sa m'ap di ou. Louvri je ou byen pou ou wè jan m'ap viv.
[My] son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 Fanm jennès se tankou yon twou pèlen, fanm adiltè se tankou yon pi jis jis.
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 Tankou vòlò, y'ap pare pèlen pou ou. Yo fè anpil gason pèdi tèt yo.
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 Ki moun ki nan tèt chaje, ki nan lapenn? Ki moun ki toujou nan kont, ki tou tan ap plenyen? Ki moun k'ap pran kou san rezon, ki gen je yo tou wouj?
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 Se moun k'ap bwè twòp gwòg, moun k'ap kouri dèyè tranpe.
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 Pa kite bweson pran nanm ou, ou te mèt wè jan li bèl, jan li klè nan vè a. Lè ou bwè l', li desann dous nan gòj ou.
For if you should set your eyes on bowls and cups, you shall afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 Men, pita ou santi se tankou yon move sèpan ki mòde ou, yon sèpan aspik ki pike ou.
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one struck by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 W'ap wè tout bagay ap vire devan je ou, w'ap depale.
Whenever your eyes shall behold a strange woman, then your mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 W'ap santi tankou si ou te sou lanmè: w'ap tankou si ou te sou tèt yon ma batiman.
And you shall lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 Lè sa a w'a di: Gen lè yo bat mwen, mwen pa santi sa. Gen lè yo te ban m' kou, mwen pa konn sa. Kilè m'a leve la a? Mwen ta pran yon ti kou ankò.
And you shall say, They struck me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
