Pwovèb 4
1 Pitit mwen yo, koute yon papa lè l'ap ban nou bon levasyon. Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou ka gen konprann.
Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Pa janm bliye anyen nan sa m'ap moutre nou la a: Se bon konsèy m'ap ban nou.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake you not my law.
3 Lè mwen te timoun piti lakay papa m', lè sa a mwen te sèl pitit manman mwen.
For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 Papa m' t'ap moutre m' anpil bagay. Li te konn di m': Kenbe pawòl mwen nan kè ou. Fè sa m'ap di ou fè, konsa w'a viv.
He taught me also, and said to me, Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 Chache gen konesans ak bon konprann. Pa janm bliye sa m'ap di ou la a. Pa vire do ba yo.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Pa lage konesans ou. L'a toujou pwoteje ou. renmen l', li p'ap kite anyen rive ou.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve you: love her, and she shall keep you.
7 Chache gen konesans, se premye bagay yon nonm lespri dwe fè. Nenpòt kisa ou ka genyen, bay li pou ou vin gen konprann.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding.
8 renmen konesans, l'ap fè ou mache tèt wo. Kenbe l', pa lage l'. L'a fè yo respekte ou.
Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honor, when you do embrace her.
9 Se va yon bèl bagay pou ou, tankou yon kouwòn sou tèt ou. Se va yon lwanj pou ou kote ou pase.
She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to you.
10 Koute sa m'ap di ou, pitit mwen. Pa bliye sa m'ap moutre ou la a, konsa w'a viv lontan.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many.
11 Mwen moutre ou jan pou ou viv ak bon konprann. Mwen fè ou konnen jan pou ou mache dwat.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
12 Lè w'ap viv avèk bon konprann, anyen p'ap bare wout ou. Ou mèt ap kouri, ou p'ap janm bite sou anyen.
When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not stumble.
13 Pa janm bliye sa yo te moutre ou, kenbe l' fèm. Pa kite l' chape anba men ou, se tout lavi ou.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life.
14 Pa fè menm chemen ak mechan yo. Pa swiv egzanp moun ki deprave yo.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Pa fè sa, pa pran chemen sa yo menm. Refize fè tankou yo, fè chemen pa ou.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 Mechan yo p'ap dòmi toutotan yo pa fè sa ki mal. Dòmi pa ka pran yo si yo pa rive fè sa yo vle fè a.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 Se nan fè mechanste yo jwenn manje pou yo manje. Se nan fè moun mal yo jwenn diven pou yo bwè.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 Chemen moun k'ap mache dwat yo tankou solèy k'ap leve. Chak lè, l'ap vin pi klere jouk li fin jou nèt.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
19 Chemen moun mechan yo fè nwa kou lannwit. Yo pa ka wè sou kisa y'ap bite.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 Pitit mwen, louvri lespri ou pou ou konprann byen sa m'ap di ou la a. Louvri zòrèy ou pou ou koute pawòl k'ap soti nan bouch mwen.
My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Pa janm kite yo soti devan je ou. Kenbe yo nan kè ou. Pa janm bliye yo.
Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the middle of your heart.
22 Se lavi pou moun ki jwenn yo. Se lasante pou tout moun ki konprann yo.
For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Pase tout lòt bagay, veye byen lide k'ap travay nan tèt ou, paske se yo k'ap di ou ki jan pou ou viv.
Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Pa janm kite manti soti nan bouch ou, ni move pawòl, ni mo deplase.
Put away from you a fraudulent mouth, and perverse lips put far from you.
25 Gade dwat devan ou. Kenbe je ou fikse sou chemen ki dwat devan ou lan.
Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
26 Chache konnen byen sa w'ap fè. Konsa, tou sa w'ap fè ap mache byen pou ou.
Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
27 Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch. Pa lage kò ou nan fè sa ki mal.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.
