Pwovèb 8
1 Tande byen. Sajès ap rele byen fò. Entèlijans ap pale fò pou tout moun tande.
It is as if wisdom, with great understanding [of many things], is calling [PRS] out [to people].
2 Li kanpe sou tèt ti mòn yo, sou bò wout la, nan mitan kalfou yo.
Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.
3 L'ap pale byen fò bò pòtay lavil la, sou tout papòt yo, l'ap di:
[Wisdom also stands] at the city gates and shouts loudly,
4 Nou menm lèzòm, se ak nou m'ap pale. M'ap rele pou tout moun ki sou latè tande.
“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!
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.
You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!
6 Louvri zòrèy nou. Mwen pral di pawòl ki konsekan. Tou sa mwen pral di yo se bagay ki dwat.
Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.
7 Sa m' pral di la a se verite. Mwen pa kapab bay manti.
I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.
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.
Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives [people].
9 Yo klè pou moun ki gen bon konprann. Yo kòrèk pou moun ki gen konesans.
My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.
10 Pito ou chache gen bon konprann pase pou ou gen lajan. Pito ou chache gen konesans pase pou ou gen pi bon lò.
[If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give] or offers you silver, choose my teaching. [If he offers to show you how to be wise] or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,
11 Paske, mwen menm Bon Konprann, mwen pi bon pase boul lò. Pa gen anyen ou ta renmen genyen ki ka konpare avè m'.
because wisdom is more valuable than jewels. Nothing that you desire [is as valuable] as being wise.
12 Mwen menm Bon Konprann, mwen gen lespri. Mwen gen bon tèt pou m' konprann.
I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.
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.
[All the people] who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate [people who are] proud and [people] who think they are more important [than others]. I hate [people who] behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive [others].
14 Se mwen ki bay bon konsèy, ki bay moun ladrès. Mwen gen konprann, mwen gen fòs pouvwa.
I give [people] good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.
15 Se mwen ki bay wa yo ladrès pou yo kòmande. Se mwen ki fè chèf yo pase bon lòd pou pa gen lenjistis.
When kings are wise, they rule [well]; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.
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.
Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.
17 Mwen renmen moun ki renmen m'. Depi yon moun chache m', fòk li jwenn mwen.
I, [wisdom], love [all] those who love me, and [all] those who truly seek me [will] find me.
18 Mwen bay richès, mwen bay pouvwa. Mwen bay byen k'ap la pou lontan, mwen fè tout bagay byen.
I enable [people] to become rich and to be honored; [I enable them to have] wealth that will last and to be successful.
19 Tou sa mwen bay pi bon lontan pase pi bon lò ki genyen. Yo pi bon pase ajan.
What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.
20 Mwen fè moun mache dwat devan Bondye. Mwen fè yo mache yon jan pou yo pa fè moun lenjistis.
I always do what is righteous and just/fair.
21 Lè moun renmen m', mwen ba yo anpil byen. Mwen plen kay yo ak richès.
I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.
22 Seyè a te fè m' lè li te fèk konmanse ak plan travay li. Li te fè m' lontan lontan anvan tout bagay.
Yahweh created me, [wisdom], when he began [to create the world]; he created me [to do my work] before he created anything else.
23 Li te fè m' nan konmansman nèt, an premye, anvan tout lòt bagay sou latè.
He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.
24 Lè m' te fèk parèt, pa t' ankò gen lanmè. pa t' ankò gen ankenn sous dlo.
I was born before the oceans were [created], when there were no springs from which water flowed.
25 Lè m' te fèt la, pa t' ankò gen ankenn mòn menm. Ata ti mòn yo pa t' ankò nan plas yo.
I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;
26 Bondye pa t' ankò fè latè ak jaden. Pa menm premye grenn pousyè tè a pa t' ankò fèt.
[I, wisdom], was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.
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.
I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place [in the distance] where the sky and the oceans [seem to] come together.
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.
I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above [the earth] and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.
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.
I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support 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 at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.
31 Mwen te kontan mache toupatou sou latè. Mwen te pran plezi m' ak lèzòm.
I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.
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!
So, [you people who are like] my sons, listen to me. [I am] pleased with [all] those who obey my teachings.
33 Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou tande sa m'ap moutre nou. N'a vin gen bon konprann. Pa meprize bagay konsa.
Listen [carefully] to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!
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!
[I am] pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting [for me to come out].
35 Lè yon moun jwenn mwen, se lavi li jwenn. Li antre nan favè Bondye.
Those who find me will have [a long] life, and Yahweh [will] be pleased with them.
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 those who stray away from me [just] harm themselves. All those who hate me, [it is as though] [IRO] they are loving death.”
