Pwovèb 24
1 Pa anvye sò mechan yo. Pa chache fè zanmi ak yo.
Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
2 Yon sèl bagay ki nan tèt yo, se fè mechanste. Yon sèl pawòl ki nan bouch yo, se fè moun mal.
For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
3 Bon konprann ap fè kay ou kanpe. Bon konesans ap fè l' kanpe fèm.
The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
4 Kote ki gen konesans, pyès kay yo plen ak bon bagay ki koute chè.
And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
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 makes strength greater.
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.
For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
7 Pawòl moun konprann twò wo pou moun san konprann. Yo pa gen anyen pou yo di kote koze serye ap pale.
Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
8 Lè yon moun tout tan ap kalkile jan pou l' fè sa ki mal, y'ap rele l' malveyan.
He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
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.
The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
10 Si jou malè ou pa gen kouraj pou kenbe, ou pa t' janm gen fòs vre.
If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Delivre moun y'ap trennen pou y' al touye. Sove moun y'ap bourade pou y' al egzekite.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
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, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?
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,
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which 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.
So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not 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 keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on 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 an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
17 Pa prese fè kè ou kontan lè malè rive lènmi ou. Pa kouri fè fèt lè li bite.
Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
18 Seyè a ap wè sa. Sa p'ap fè l' plezi. Li ka rive pa pini l' poutèt sa.
For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned 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 be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
20 Paske mechan yo pa pral lwen. Lavi yo tankou yon lanp k'ap mouri.
For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
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, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
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 their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
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 are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging 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.
He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 Men, jij ki pini moun ki antò a va gen kè kontan. Bondye va beni l'. Tout zafè l' va mache byen.
But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
26 Lè ou bay yon bon repons, ou aji tankou yon bon zanmi.
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
27 Regle tout zafè ou. Mete jaden ou anfòm. Apre sa, ou mèt tabli.
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
28 Pa leve pale sou do frè parèy ou san rezon. Pa bay manti sou li.
Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
29 Pa janm di li fè m', m'ap fè l' tou. M'ap fè l' peye sa li fè a.
Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
30 Mwen pase bò jaden yon nonm parese, bò jaden rezen yon moun ki san konprann.
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
31 Pikan te fin pran jaden an nèt. Move zèb t'ap pouse toupatou. Lantouraj jaden yo te fin tonbe.
And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Lè mwen wè sa, mwen kalkile. Mwen gade, sa ban m' yon leson.
Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
33 Dòmi, kabicha, kouche sou do, kwaze men ou dèyè tèt ou... Se bon!
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
34 W'ap rete konsa, w'ap wè ou pòv. Mizè ap tonbe sou ou tankou yon ansasen san ou pa atann.
So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
