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, don’t forget my teaching; but keep my mitzvot ·instructions· in your heart:
2 Se yo k'ap fè ou viv lontan. Se yo k'ap fè ou viv ak kè poze.
for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.
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.
Don’t let chesed ·loving-kindness· and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Si ou fè sa, Bondye va kontan avè ou, lèzòm va nonmen non ou an byen.
So you will find chen ·grace·, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Mete tout konfyans ou nan Seyè a. Pa gade sou sa ou konnen.
Trust in Adonai with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
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 acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
7 Pa mete nan tèt ou ou gen plis konprann pase sa. Gen krentif pou Seyè a, refize fè sa ki mal.
Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Adonai, and depart from evil.
8 Lè ou fè sa, se va tankou yon bon medikaman: W'a toujou gaya, ou p'ap janm soufri doulè.
It will be health to your body, and nourishment 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 Adonai with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:
10 Lè ou fè sa, galata ou ap toujou chaje danre. Barik diven ou yo ap plen ra bouch.
so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 Pitit mwen, lè Seyè a ap pini ou, pa betize ak sa. Lè l'ap korije ou, pa dekouraje.
My son, don’t despise Adonai’s discipline, neither be despondent when he corrects you:
12 Paske Seyè a korije moun li renmen, menm jan yon papa korije pitit li renmen anpil la.
for whom Adonai 'ahav ·affectionately loves·, he reproves; even as a father reproves his son in whom he delights.
13 Ala bon sa bon pou moun ki gen konesans, pou moun ki rive gen bon konprann!
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
14 Benefis l'ap rapòte pi bon pase sa lajan bay. Avantaj l'ap bay gen plis valè pase lò.
For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her teshuvah ·complete return· is better than fine gold.
15 Sajès pi bon pase boul lò. Nanpwen anyen moun ta renmen genyen ki ka parèt devan li.
She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared 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 in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and kavod ·weighty glory·.
17 L'ap fè moun viv ak kè kontan. L'ap fè ou reyisi nan tou sa w'ap fè.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.
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 lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
19 Avèk bon konprann li, Bondye kreye latè. Avèk entèlijans li, li mete syèl la nan plas li.
By wisdom Adonai founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.
20 Avèk konesans li, li fè larivyè yo koule. Li fè nwaj yo bay lapli sou latè.
By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 Pitit mwen, kenbe pye konesans ou, pa pèdi konprann ou. Pa janm kite anyen fè ou bliye yo.
My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 Y'ap ba ou lavi, y'ap fè lavi ou bèl tankou yon kolye ki pase nan kou ou.
so they will be life to your soul, and chen ·grace· for your neck.
23 W'a fè chemen ou nan lavi san ou pa pè anyen. Ou p'ap janm bite sou anyen.
Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t 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 lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep 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.
Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:
26 Paske se Seyè a ki tout espwa ou. Li p'ap kite ou pran nan pèlen.
for Adonai will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.
27 Pa refize fè byen pou moun ki nan nesesite, chak fwa ou santi ou ka fè sa.
Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Si ou gen lajan sou ou, ou pa ka di frè parèy ou: Ale non! Tounen denmen. M'a ba ou kichòy!
Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.
29 Moun k'ap viv ansanm avè ou, ki mete konfyans yo nan ou, pa manniganse anyen ki pou fè yo mal.
Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
30 Pa fè kabouyay san rezon ak yon moun san li pa janm fè ou anyen ki mal.
Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
31 Pa anvye sò mechan yo. Pa mete nan tèt ou pou ou fè tankou yo.
Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of 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 the perverse is an abomination to Adonai, but his friendship is with the upright.
33 Madichon Bondye chita lakay mechan yo. Men, benediksyon l' ap kouvri kay moun ki mache dwat yo.
Adonai’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the upright.
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.
Surely he opposes the mockers, but he gives chen ·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 will inherit kavod ·weighty glory·, but shame will be the promotion of fools.
