Pwovèb 8
1 Tande byen. Sajès ap rele byen fò. Entèlijans ap pale fò pou tout moun tande.
Thou shalt proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to thee.
2 Li kanpe sou tèt ti mòn yo, sou bò wout la, nan mitan kalfou yo.
For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
3 L'ap pale byen fò bò pòtay lavil la, sou tout papòt yo, l'ap di:
For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
4 Nou menm lèzòm, se ak nou m'ap pale. M'ap rele pou tout moun ki sou latè tande.
You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
5 Nou menm ki pa gen konprann, vin aprann sa ki rele gen bon konprann Nou menm k'ap aji tankou moun fou, vin aprann sa ki rele gen lespri.
O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
6 Louvri zòrèy nou. Mwen pral di pawòl ki konsekan. Tou sa mwen pral di yo se bagay ki dwat.
Hearken to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
7 Sa m' pral di la a se verite. Mwen pa kapab bay manti.
For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
8 Tou sa ki soti nan bouch mwen, se pawòl ki dwat. Nan sa m' di yo pa gen anyen ki pa vre, pa gen anyen ki kwochi.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
9 Yo klè pou moun ki gen bon konprann. Yo kòrèk pou moun ki gen konesans.
They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
10 Pito ou chache gen bon konprann pase pou ou gen lajan. Pito ou chache gen konesans pase pou ou gen pi bon lò.
Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
11 Paske, mwen menm Bon Konprann, mwen pi bon pase boul lò. Pa gen anyen ou ta renmen genyen ki ka konpare avè m'.
For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
12 Mwen menm Bon Konprann, mwen gen lespri. Mwen gen bon tèt pou m' konprann.
I wisdom have dwelt [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
13 Lè yon moun gen krentif pou Bondye, li rayi sa ki mal. Mwen pa vle wè moun lògey ak moun awogan, moun ki gen move kondit ak moun k'ap bay manti.
The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
14 Se mwen ki bay bon konsèy, ki bay moun ladrès. Mwen gen konprann, mwen gen fòs pouvwa.
Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
15 Se mwen ki bay wa yo ladrès pou yo kòmande. Se mwen ki fè chèf yo pase bon lòd pou pa gen lenjistis.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 Se mwen menm ki bay tout chèf yo tèt pou yo kòmande. Se mwen menm ki fè sa tou pou tout lòt chèf yo ansanm ak tout lòt moun k'ap dirije lèzòm.
By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
17 Mwen renmen moun ki renmen m'. Depi yon moun chache m', fòk li jwenn mwen.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
18 Mwen bay richès, mwen bay pouvwa. Mwen bay byen k'ap la pou lontan, mwen fè tout bagay byen.
Wealth and glory belong to me; yea, abundant possessions and righteousness.
19 Tou sa mwen bay pi bon lontan pase pi bon lò ki genyen. Yo pi bon pase ajan.
[It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
20 Mwen fè moun mache dwat devan Bondye. Mwen fè yo mache yon jan pou yo pa fè moun lenjistis.
I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgment;
21 Lè moun renmen m', mwen ba yo anpil byen. Mwen plen kay yo ak richès.
that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
22 Seyè a te fè m' lè li te fèk konmanse ak plan travay li. Li te fè m' lontan lontan anvan tout bagay.
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
23 Li te fè m' nan konmansman nèt, an premye, anvan tout lòt bagay sou latè.
He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
24 Lè m' te fèk parèt, pa t' ankò gen lanmè. pa t' ankò gen ankenn sous dlo.
even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
25 Lè m' te fèt la, pa t' ankò gen ankenn mòn menm. Ata ti mòn yo pa t' ankò nan plas yo.
before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
26 Bondye pa t' ankò fè latè ak jaden. Pa menm premye grenn pousyè tè a pa t' ankò fèt.
The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
27 Mwen te la lè li t'ap mete syèl la nan plas li, lè li t'ap trase liy kote syèl la kontre ak latè a.
When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
28 Mwen te la lè li t'ap mete nwaj yo nan syèl la, lè li t'ap fè sous dlo pete anba lanmè a.
and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
29 Mwen te la lè li t'ap bay dlo lanmè a limit pou l' pa depase, lè li t'ap poze fondasyon tè a.
decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
30 Mwen te la bò kote l' ap travay avè l'. Chak jou mwen t'ap fè tout bagay ki te fè l' plezi. Mwen te toujou kontan travay anba je l'.
I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
31 Mwen te kontan mache toupatou sou latè. Mwen te pran plezi m' ak lèzòm.
For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.
32 Koulye a, pitit mwen yo, louvri zòrèy nou pou nou tande mwen. Ala bon sa bon pou moun ki fè sa m' di yo fè!
Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall hearken to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
33 Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou tande sa m'ap moutre nou. N'a vin gen bon konprann. Pa meprize bagay konsa.
[Hear wisdom and be wise, and ] [be not strangers to it. ]
34 Ala bon sa bon pou moun ki koute m', pou moun ki chita nan papòt mwen chak jou, pou moun k'ap tann bò poto galeri kay mwen!
watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
35 Lè yon moun jwenn mwen, se lavi li jwenn. Li antre nan favè Bondye.
For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favour from the Lord.
36 Men moun ki vire do ban mwen ap fè tèt yo mal. Moun ki rayi m', se moun k'ap mache ak sèkèy yo anba bra yo.
But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
