Pwovèb 24
1 Pa anvye sò mechan yo. Pa chache fè zanmi ak yo.
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
2 Yon sèl bagay ki nan tèt yo, se fè mechanste. Yon sèl pawòl ki nan bouch yo, se fè moun mal.
for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
3 Bon konprann ap fè kay ou kanpe. Bon konesans ap fè l' kanpe fèm.
By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
4 Kote ki gen konesans, pyès kay yo plen ak bon bagay ki koute chè.
through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5 Pito ou gen bon konprann pase ou gen fòs. Wi, moun ki gen konesans vo plis pase moun ki gwonèg.
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
6 Paske, se pou ou ranje plan ou anvan ou antre nan batay. Plis ou gen moun k'ap ba ou konsèy, plis ou gen chans pou ou genyen batay la.
Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
7 Pawòl moun konprann twò wo pou moun san konprann. Yo pa gen anyen pou yo di kote koze serye ap pale.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
8 Lè yon moun tout tan ap kalkile jan pou l' fè sa ki mal, y'ap rele l' malveyan.
He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 Tou sa moun san konprann gen lide fè, se fè sa ki mal. Konsa tou, moun pa vle wè moun k'ap plede pase moun nan betiz.
A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
10 Si jou malè ou pa gen kouraj pou kenbe, ou pa t' janm gen fòs vre.
If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
11 Delivre moun y'ap trennen pou y' al touye. Sove moun y'ap bourade pou y' al egzekite.
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
12 Si ou pran pòz ou pa t' konn sa, chonje Bondye. Li menm k'ap jije sa ki nan kè moun, l'ap wè sa. Li menm k'ap veye tou sa w'ap fè, l'ap konn sa. L'ap fè tout moun peye pou sa yo fè.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
13 Pitit mwen, bwè siwo myèl, sa bon pou ou. Menm jan siwo myèl k'ap koule soti nan gato myèl dous nan bouch ou,
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 se konsa konesans ak bon konprann bon pou nanm ou. Si ou genyen yo, w'a fè chemen ou nan lavi. Sa w'ap tann lan, lavalas p'ap pote l' ale.
Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
15 Pa janm fè plan tankou mechan yo pou chache fofile kò ou anndan kay moun k'ap mache dwat. Pa chache devalize kote l' rete a.
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
16 Paske, moun k'ap mache dwat yo te mèt tonbe sèt fwa. Pa pè, y'ap toujou leve ankò. Men, nan mechanste yo, mechan yo ap tonbe, yo p'ap ka leve ankò.
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
17 Pa prese fè kè ou kontan lè malè rive lènmi ou. Pa kouri fè fèt lè li bite.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 Seyè a ap wè sa. Sa p'ap fè l' plezi. Li ka rive pa pini l' poutèt sa.
or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
19 Pa kite moun k'ap fè sa ki mal fè ou pèdi tèt ou. Pa anvye sò mechan yo.
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 Paske mechan yo pa pral lwen. Lavi yo tankou yon lanp k'ap mouri.
For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21 Pitit mwen, gen krentif pou Seyè a. Respekte wa a. Ou pa gen anyen pou ou wè ak moun k'ap kenbe tèt ak yo.
My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
22 Moun sa yo ap rete konsa, malè ap tonbe sou yo. Ou pa janm konnen ki kalite malè Seyè a osinon wa a ka fè rive sou ou.
For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
23 Men lòt pawòl moun ki gen bon konprann yo te di ankò. Sa pa bon pou yon jij gade sou figi moun lè l'ap rann jijman.
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 Lè yon jij di yon moun ki fè sa ki mal: Se ou ki gen rezon, jij sa a, tout moun gen pou madichonnen l'. Y'ap rayi l' toupatou sou latè.
Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 Men, jij ki pini moun ki antò a va gen kè kontan. Bondye va beni l'. Tout zafè l' va mache byen.
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 Lè ou bay yon bon repons, ou aji tankou yon bon zanmi.
An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Regle tout zafè ou. Mete jaden ou anfòm. Apre sa, ou mèt tabli.
Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
28 Pa leve pale sou do frè parèy ou san rezon. Pa bay manti sou li.
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Pa janm di li fè m', m'ap fè l' tou. M'ap fè l' peye sa li fè a.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 Mwen pase bò jaden yon nonm parese, bò jaden rezen yon moun ki san konprann.
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 Pikan te fin pran jaden an nèt. Move zèb t'ap pouse toupatou. Lantouraj jaden yo te fin tonbe.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Lè mwen wè sa, mwen kalkile. Mwen gade, sa ban m' yon leson.
I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 Dòmi, kabicha, kouche sou do, kwaze men ou dèyè tèt ou... Se bon!
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 W'ap rete konsa, w'ap wè ou pòv. Mizè ap tonbe sou ou tankou yon ansasen san ou pa atann.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
