Pwovèb 24
1 Pa anvye sò mechan yo. Pa chache fè zanmi ak yo.
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not 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 their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 Bon konprann ap fè kay ou kanpe. Bon konesans ap fè l' kanpe fèm.
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 Kote ki gen konesans, pyès kay yo plen ak bon bagay ki koute chè.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 Pito ou gen bon konprann pase ou gen fòs. Wi, moun ki gen konesans vo plis pase moun ki gwonèg.
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth 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.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
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 the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 Lè yon moun tout tan ap kalkile jan pou l' fè sa ki mal, y'ap rele l' malveyan.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
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 folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Si jou malè ou pa gen kouraj pou kenbe, ou pa t' janm gen fòs vre.
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Delivre moun y'ap trennen pou y' al touye. Sove moun y'ap bourade pou y' al egzekite.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
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 thou sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.
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, which is sweet to thy 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 learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall 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.
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not 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 the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Pa prese fè kè ou kontan lè malè rive lènmi ou. Pa kouri fè fèt lè li bite.
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 Seyè a ap wè sa. Sa p'ap fè l' plezi. Li ka rive pa pini l' poutèt sa.
Lest the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 Pa kite moun k'ap fè sa ki mal fè ou pèdi tèt ou. Pa anvye sò mechan yo.
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 Paske mechan yo pa pral lwen. Lavi yo tankou yon lanp k'ap mouri.
For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall 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, fear thou the LORD and the king; And mingle not with them that are given to change!
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 calamity shall rise up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
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 words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
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 that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor 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 shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Lè ou bay yon bon repons, ou aji tankou yon bon zanmi.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Regle tout zafè ou. Mete jaden ou anfòm. Apre sa, ou mèt tabli.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Pa leve pale sou do frè parèy ou san rezon. Pa bay manti sou li.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 Pa janm di li fè m', m'ap fè l' tou. M'ap fè l' peye sa li fè a.
Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
30 Mwen pase bò jaden yon nonm parese, bò jaden rezen yon moun ki san konprann.
I passed by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,
31 Pikan te fin pran jaden an nèt. Move zèb t'ap pouse toupatou. Lantouraj jaden yo te fin tonbe.
And, lo! it was all overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Lè mwen wè sa, mwen kalkile. Mwen gade, sa ban m' yon leson.
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. 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.
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
