Pwovèb 25
1 Men kèk lòt pwovèb wa Salomon. Se moun nan palè Ezekyas, wa peyi Jida a, ki te kouche yo sou papye.
These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
2 Bondye konnen lè pou l' kite nou konprann, se sa ki fè pouvwa li. Wa yo toujou ap chache konprann, se sa ki fè moun respekte yo.
The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honours business.
3 Menm jan ou pa konnen wotè syèl la ak fondè tè a, se konsa tou ou pa ka konnen sa k'ap pase nan tèt yon wa.
Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
4 Wete tout vye kras ki nan ajan an. Efèv la ap ba ou yon bèl travay byen fèt.
Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
5 Wete tout mechan bò kote wa a, gouvènman l' lan ap chita byen chita. p'ap gen lenjistis.
Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
6 Pa fè grandizè devan wa a. Pa chita nan plas grannèg yo.
Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
7 Pito yo di ou moute pi wo, pase pou yo fè ou bay plas la, pou ou ta wont devan chèf la.
for [it is] better for thee that it should be said, Come up to me, than that [one] should humble thee in the presence of the prince; speak of that which thine eyes have seen.
8 Sa ou wè ak je ou, pa prese al rapòte l' lajistis. Si apre sa, yon lòt temwen kanpe pou demanti ou, lè sa a kisa ou va fè?
Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest thou repent at last.
9 Lè ou gen kont ak yon moun, regle zafè nou san nou pa mete lòt moun ladan li. Pa mete sekrè l' deyò.
Whenever thy friend shall reproach thee, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
10 Paske, lè moun konnen ou pa ka kenbe sekrè, y'a fè ou wont. Y'a ba ou move non.
lest thy friend continue to reproach thee, so thy quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to thee like death. Favour and friendship set [a man] free, which do thou keep for thyself, lest thou be made liable to reproach; but take heed to thy ways peaceably.
11 Lè ou bay bon pawòl ki tonbe daplon se tankou yon moso lò byen travay yo plake sou yon moso ajan.
[As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
12 Lè yon moun ki gen bon konprann rale zòrèy moun ki gen tande, se tankou zanno ak kolye ki fèt ak bon lò ou mete sou ou.
In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
13 Yon komisyonè ki p'ap twonpe moun ki voye l' la, se tankou yon bon vè dlo byen fre w'ap bwè nan mitan chalè rekòt. L'ap remoute kouraj mèt li.
As a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.
14 Moun ki toujou ap pwomèt san yo pa janm kenbe pwomès yo, se tankou nwaj ak van ki pa janm pote lapli.
As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
15 Lè ou pa fè kòlè fasil, ou jwenn jwen pou fè chèf la kwè sa ou vle. Konsa tou, ak pawòl dous, w'ap kraze tout antrav ou ta ka jwenn sou chemen ou.
In long-suffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
16 Lè ou jwenn siwo myèl, bwè kantite ou ka bwè. Si ou pran twòp, l'a fè kè ou plen, l'a fè ou vonmi.
Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply thou be filled, and vomit it up.
17 Konsa tou, pa al rann vizit twò dri lakay zanmi ou, pou li pa bouke avè ou, pou l' pa rayi ou.
Enter sparingly into thy friend's house, lest he be satiated with thy company, and hate thee.
18 Yon moun k'ap mache bay manti sou moun, se tankou yon makak chaplèt, yon nepe, yon flèch byen pwenti. Li ka touye ou.
[As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.
19 Jou malè, si ou mete konfyans ou sou moun trèt, se tankou si ou vle mòde ak dan pouri, osinon kouri sou pye foule.
The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
20 Chante mereng pou yon moun ki nan lapenn, se tankou moun ki wete tout rad sou li nan fredi, se tankou si ou prije sitwon sou yon malenng.
As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart.
21 Si lènmi ou grangou, ba li manje. Si li swaf dlo, ba li dlo pou l' bwè.
If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
22 Lè sa a, w'a fè l' wont anpil. Seyè a va rekonpanse ou.
for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee [with] good.
23 Tripotaj fè moun fè kòlè, menm jan nòde bay lapli.
The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
24 Pito ou viv pou kont ou nan yon kwen galata pase pou w'ap viv nan yon kay ansanm ak yon fanm k'ap chache kont tout tan.
[It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
25 Lè ou resevwa yon bon nouvèl ki soti nan peyi Jida, se tankou yon vè dlo fre pou yon moun ki sot moute mòn.
As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
26 Lè yon moun ki mache dwat kite yon mechan pran tèt li, se tankou yon sous dlo moun mache ladan l', se tankou yon pi yo sal.
As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
27 Twòp siwo myèl pa bon pou lasante. Konsa tou, pa chache pou moun nonmen non ou twòp.
[It is] not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honour venerable sayings.
28 Si ou pa kapab kontwole kòlè ou, ou tankou yon lavil san ranpa. Y'ap anvayi l' fasil. Y'ap mete men sou ou fasil.
As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
