Pwovèb 6
1 Pitit mwen, si ou pwomèt pou ou reskonsab dèt yon zanmi ou fè, si ou bay pawòl ou pou lajan yon lòt moun prete,
[My] son, if you become surety for your friend, you shall deliver your hand to an enemy.
2 si yo pran pawòl ki soti nan bouch ou pou mele ou, si pwomès ou te fè yo tounen yon pèlen pou ou,
For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.
3 ay, pitit mwen! men sa pou ou fè pou ou wete tèt ou nan traka sa a. Kouri al jwenn zanmi ou lan, kenbe l' kout.
[My] son, do what I command you, and deliver yourself; for on your friend's account you are come into the power of evil [men]: faint not, but stir up even your friend for whom you are become surety.
4 Pa dòmi sou sa. Pa kite sa trennen.
Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber with your eyelids;
5 Degaje ou chape kò ou anba men l', tankou kabrit k'ap chape kò l' anba men kaptè, tankou zwazo k'ap bat pou l' sove nan men chasè.
that you may deliver yourself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.
6 Ou menm parese, al pran leson nan men foumi yo. Ale wè jan y'ap viv pou ou manyè konprann lavi.
Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.
7 Yo pa bezwen moun pou di yo sa pou yo fè. Yo pa bezwen moun pou veye yo, ni pou ba yo lòd.
For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,
8 Men, yo pase mwa chalè ap fè pwovizyon. Nan tan rekòt, yo ranmase manje mete la.
he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labours kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.
9 Parese, kilè w'a sispann pase tout jounen ou kouche sou do? Kilè w'a souke kò ou leve sot nan dòmi?
How long will you lie, O sluggard? and when will you awake out of sleep?
10 W'ap di: Kite m' fè yon ti dòmi. Kite m' fè yon ti kabicha non. M'ap lonje kò m' pou m' pran yon ti repo.
You sleep a little, and you rest a little, and you slumber a short [time], and you fold your arms over your breast a little.
11 Antan w'ap dòmi an, san ou pa konnen, se pòv w'ap vin pi pòv. Grangou ap tonbe sou ou tankou yon vòlè nan gran chemen.
Then poverty comes upon you as an evil traveller, and lack as a swift courier: but if you be diligent, your harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.
12 Mechan yo fin deprave. Y'ap mache bay manti toupatou.
A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.
13 Y'ap twenzi je yo sou moun, y'ap peze gwo zòtèy yo atè. Y'ap fè siy ak dwèt yo.
And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.
14 Se move lide ase ki nan kè yo, yo toujou sou plan. Kote yo pase y'ap pouse dife.
[His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.
15 Se poutèt sa, y'ap rete konsa y'ap fini, y'ap glise tonbe san yo p'ap ka leve ankò.
Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin.
16 Gen sis bagay Seyè a pa vle wè. Sa m'ap di la a: Gen menm sèt bagay li pa ka sipòte:
For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.
17 Se moun k'ap gonfle lestonmak yo sou moun, se moun k'ap bay manti, se moun k'ap touye moun inonsan,
The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;
18 se moun k'ap fè move lide nan tèt yo pou fè mechanste, se moun ki toujou pare pou fè sa ki mal,
and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —[are hateful to God].
19 se fo temwen k'ap bay manti sou moun, se moun k'ap mete frè ak zanmi dozado.
An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren.
20 Pitit mwen, toujou fè sa papa ou di ou fè. Pa janm bliye sa manman ou te moutre ou.
[My] son, keep the laws of your father, and reject not the ordinances of your mother:
21 Kenbe pawòl yo nan kè ou, pa janm bliye yo. Mete yo nan kou ou tankou yon kolye.
but bind them upon your soul continually, and hang them as a chain about your neck.
22 Pawòl sa yo va moutre ou bon chemen nan tou sa w'ap fè. Y'ap pwoteje ou lè w'ap dòmi lannwit. Y'a ba ou konsèy lè je ou klè.
Whenever you walk, lead this along and let it be with you; that it may talk with you when you wake.
23 Pawòl sa yo ap tankou yon lanp pou ou. Sa yo moutre ou ap tankou yon limyè nan lavi ou. Lè y'ap korije ou, lè y'ap rale zòrèy ou, se moutre y'ap moutre ou chemen lavi.
For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:
24 Y'ap fè ou rete lwen fanm k'ap twonpe mari yo, pou ou pa pran nan pawòl dous madan marye ki nan dezòd.
to keep you continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.
25 Yo te mèt bèl kou yo bèl, pa kite yo pran tèt ou. Pa kite yo pran tèt ou lè y'ap fè je dou ba ou.
Let not the desire of beauty overcome you, neither be you caught by your eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.
26 Yon jennès ka koute yon kraze kòb. Men, yon fanm adiltè dèyè pou l' pran tou sa ou genyen.
For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.
27 Ou pa ka sere dife anndan rad sou ou pou rad la pa boule.
Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?
28 Ou pa ka mache sou chabon dife pou pye ou pa boule.
or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?
29 Konsa tou, se yon gwo danje pou ou kouri dèyè fanm yon lòt gason. Depi ou manyen yon fanm konsa, ou gen pou ou peye pou sa.
So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.
30 Menm lè yon vòlò vòlò paske li grangou, se pa sa ki di li pa vòlò pou sa.
It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:
31 Si yo bare l', y'ap fè l' peye sèt fwa lavalè sa l' pran an. Y'a fè l' bay tou sa li gen lakay li.
but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.
32 Men, yon nonm ki fè adiltè, se moun fou li ye, se detwi l'ap detwi tèt li.
But the adulterer through lack of sense procures destruction to his soul.
33 L'ap pran baton. Y'ap pase l' anba kont betiz, l'ap toujou wont pou sa l' fè a.
He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.
34 Lè yon mari ap fè jalouzi pou madanm li, nanpwen move tankou l'. Jou li mete men sou nèg la, pa gen anyen li p'ap fè l'.
For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Li p'ap asepte lajan. Nanpwen kado ki pou fè l' bliye sa.
He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.
