Pwovèb 3
1 Pitit mwen, pa janm bliye sa mwen moutre ou yo. Kenbe tou sa mwen di ou fè yo nan kè ou.
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
2 Se yo k'ap fè ou viv lontan. Se yo k'ap fè ou viv ak kè poze.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Se pou ou toujou viv byen ak tout moun. Se pou ou toujou gen yon sèl pawòl. Mete pawòl mwen yo nan kou ou tankou yon kolye, kenbe yo nan kè ou pou ou pa janm bliye yo.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
4 Si ou fè sa, Bondye va kontan avè ou, lèzòm va nonmen non ou an byen.
so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Mete tout konfyans ou nan Seyè a. Pa gade sou sa ou konnen.
Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
6 Toujou chonje Seyè a nan tou sa w'ap fè. Li menm, l'a moutre ou chemen pou ou pran.
In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
7 Pa mete nan tèt ou ou gen plis konprann pase sa. Gen krentif pou Seyè a, refize fè sa ki mal.
Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 Lè ou fè sa, se va tankou yon bon medikaman: W'a toujou gaya, ou p'ap janm soufri doulè.
Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
9 Fè wè jan ou gen respè pou Seyè a: ba li nan tou sa ou genyen, ofri l' premye donn ou rekòlte nan jaden ou.
Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
10 Lè ou fè sa, galata ou ap toujou chaje danre. Barik diven ou yo ap plen ra bouch.
that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
11 Pitit mwen, lè Seyè a ap pini ou, pa betize ak sa. Lè l'ap korije ou, pa dekouraje.
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
12 Paske Seyè a korije moun li renmen, menm jan yon papa korije pitit li renmen anpil la.
for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Ala bon sa bon pou moun ki gen konesans, pou moun ki rive gen bon konprann!
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 Benefis l'ap rapòte pi bon pase sa lajan bay. Avantaj l'ap bay gen plis valè pase lò.
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 Sajès pi bon pase boul lò. Nanpwen anyen moun ta renmen genyen ki ka parèt devan li.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Yon bò, bon konprann ap fè moun viv lontan. Yon lòt bò, l'ap bay richès, l'ap fè moun respekte ou.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 L'ap fè moun viv ak kè kontan. L'ap fè ou reyisi nan tou sa w'ap fè.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 Moun ki gen bon konprann jwenn lavi. Sa bon nèt pou moun ki gen bon konprann!
She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 Avèk bon konprann li, Bondye kreye latè. Avèk entèlijans li, li mete syèl la nan plas li.
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 Avèk konesans li, li fè larivyè yo koule. Li fè nwaj yo bay lapli sou latè.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21 Pitit mwen, kenbe pye konesans ou, pa pèdi konprann ou. Pa janm kite anyen fè ou bliye yo.
[My] son, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 Y'ap ba ou lavi, y'ap fè lavi ou bèl tankou yon kolye ki pase nan kou ou.
that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
23 W'a fè chemen ou nan lavi san ou pa pè anyen. Ou p'ap janm bite sou anyen.
that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
24 Lè ou pral kouche, ou p'ap pè anyen. Lè w'a fin lonje kò ou, w'a dòmi nèt ale.
For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
25 Ou p'ap bezwen pè: malè p'ap rete konsa pou l' tonbe sou tèt ou. Ni tou, sa ki rive mechan yo p'ap rive ou.
And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 Paske se Seyè a ki tout espwa ou. Li p'ap kite ou pran nan pèlen.
For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
27 Pa refize fè byen pou moun ki nan nesesite, chak fwa ou santi ou ka fè sa.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 Si ou gen lajan sou ou, ou pa ka di frè parèy ou: Ale non! Tounen denmen. M'a ba ou kichòy!
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Moun k'ap viv ansanm avè ou, ki mete konfyans yo nan ou, pa manniganse anyen ki pou fè yo mal.
Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
30 Pa fè kabouyay san rezon ak yon moun san li pa janm fè ou anyen ki mal.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
31 Pa anvye sò mechan yo. Pa mete nan tèt ou pou ou fè tankou yo.
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
32 Paske Seyè a pa vle wè moun ki deprave. Men, li mete moun ki mache dwat yo nan tout sekrè l' yo.
For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
33 Madichon Bondye chita lakay mechan yo. Men, benediksyon l' ap kouvri kay moun ki mache dwat yo.
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 Moun k'ap pase moun nan betiz, Bondye ap pase yo nan betiz tou. Men, moun ki fè byen, l'ap moutre yo jan li renmen yo.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 Y'a fè lwanj moun ki gen bon konprann yo, men moun fou yo, se wont y'a wont.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
