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, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
2 Se yo k'ap fè ou viv lontan. Se yo k'ap fè ou viv ak kè poze.
For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.
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 abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
4 Si ou fè sa, Bondye va kontan avè ou, lèzòm va nonmen non ou an byen.
And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
5 Mete tout konfyans ou nan Seyè a. Pa gade sou sa ou konnen.
Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
6 Toujou chonje Seyè a nan tou sa w'ap fè. Li menm, l'a moutre ou chemen pou ou pran.
In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
7 Pa mete nan tèt ou ou gen plis konprann pase sa. Gen krentif pou Seyè a, refize fè sa ki mal.
Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
8 Lè ou fè sa, se va tankou yon bon medikaman: W'a toujou gaya, ou p'ap janm soufri doulè.
Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your 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.
Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
10 Lè ou fè sa, galata ou ap toujou chaje danre. Barik diven ou yo ap plen ra bouch.
and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
11 Pitit mwen, lè Seyè a ap pini ou, pa betize ak sa. Lè l'ap korije ou, pa dekouraje.
My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.
12 Paske Seyè a korije moun li renmen, menm jan yon papa korije pitit li renmen anpil la.
For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
13 Ala bon sa bon pou moun ki gen konesans, pou moun ki rive gen bon konprann!
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
14 Benefis l'ap rapòte pi bon pase sa lajan bay. Avantaj l'ap bay gen plis valè pase lò.
Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
15 Sajès pi bon pase boul lò. Nanpwen anyen moun ta renmen genyen ki ka parèt devan li.
She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
16 Yon bò, bon konprann ap fè moun viv lontan. Yon lòt bò, l'ap bay richès, l'ap fè moun respekte ou.
Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
17 L'ap fè moun viv ak kè kontan. L'ap fè ou reyisi nan tou sa w'ap fè.
Her ways are beautiful 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 those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
19 Avèk bon konprann li, Bondye kreye latè. Avèk entèlijans li, li mete syèl la nan plas li.
The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
20 Avèk konesans li, li fè larivyè yo koule. Li fè nwaj yo bay lapli sou latè.
By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
21 Pitit mwen, kenbe pye konesans ou, pa pèdi konprann ou. Pa janm kite anyen fè ou bliye yo.
My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
22 Y'ap ba ou lavi, y'ap fè lavi ou bèl tankou yon kolye ki pase nan kou ou.
And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
23 W'a fè chemen ou nan lavi san ou pa pè anyen. Ou p'ap janm bite sou anyen.
Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
24 Lè ou pral kouche, ou p'ap pè anyen. Lè w'a fin lonje kò ou, w'a dòmi nèt ale.
When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
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.
Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
26 Paske se Seyè a ki tout espwa ou. Li p'ap kite ou pran nan pèlen.
For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
27 Pa refize fè byen pou moun ki nan nesesite, chak fwa ou santi ou ka fè sa.
Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
28 Si ou gen lajan sou ou, ou pa ka di frè parèy ou: Ale non! Tounen denmen. M'a ba ou kichòy!
Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.
29 Moun k'ap viv ansanm avè ou, ki mete konfyans yo nan ou, pa manniganse anyen ki pou fè yo mal.
Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
30 Pa fè kabouyay san rezon ak yon moun san li pa janm fè ou anyen ki mal.
Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
31 Pa anvye sò mechan yo. Pa mete nan tèt ou pou ou fè tankou yo.
Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his 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 everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
33 Madichon Bondye chita lakay mechan yo. Men, benediksyon l' ap kouvri kay moun ki mache dwat yo.
Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be 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.
He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
35 Y'a fè lwanj moun ki gen bon konprann yo, men moun fou yo, se wont y'a wont.
The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.
