Pwovèb 8
1 Tande byen. Sajès ap rele byen fò. Entèlijans ap pale fò pou tout moun tande.
Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 Li kanpe sou tèt ti mòn yo, sou bò wout la, nan mitan kalfou yo.
At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3 L'ap pale byen fò bò pòtay lavil la, sou tout papòt yo, l'ap di:
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
4 Nou menm lèzòm, se ak nou m'ap pale. M'ap rele pou tout moun ki sou latè tande.
'Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] unto 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.
Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6 Louvri zòrèy nou. Mwen pral di pawòl ki konsekan. Tou sa mwen pral di yo se bagay ki dwat.
Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 Sa m' pral di la a se verite. Mwen pa kapab bay manti.
For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
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.
In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9 Yo klè pou moun ki gen bon konprann. Yo kòrèk pou moun ki gen konesans.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding 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 my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice 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 better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 Mwen menm Bon Konprann, mwen gen lespri. Mwen gen bon tèt pou m' konprann.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
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 Jehovah [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
14 Se mwen ki bay bon konsèy, ki bay moun ladrès. Mwen gen konprann, mwen gen fòs pouvwa.
Mine [is] counsel and substance, I [am] understanding, I have might.
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 righteousness,
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 do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17 Mwen renmen moun ki renmen m'. Depi yon moun chache m', fòk li jwenn mwen.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18 Mwen bay richès, mwen bay pouvwa. Mwen bay byen k'ap la pou lontan, mwen fè tout bagay byen.
Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 Tou sa mwen bay pi bon lontan pase pi bon lò ki genyen. Yo pi bon pase ajan.
Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20 Mwen fè moun mache dwat devan Bondye. Mwen fè yo mache yon jan pou yo pa fè moun lenjistis.
In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 Lè moun renmen m', mwen ba yo anpil byen. Mwen plen kay yo ak richès.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
22 Seyè a te fè m' lè li te fèk konmanse ak plan travay li. Li te fè m' lontan lontan anvan tout bagay.
Jehovah possessed me — the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 Li te fè m' nan konmansman nèt, an premye, anvan tout lòt bagay sou latè.
From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 Lè m' te fèk parèt, pa t' ankò gen lanmè. pa t' ankò gen ankenn sous dlo.
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 Lè m' te fèt la, pa t' ankò gen ankenn mòn menm. Ata ti mòn yo pa t' ankò nan plas yo.
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 Bondye pa t' ankò fè latè ak jaden. Pa menm premye grenn pousyè tè a pa t' ankò fèt.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts 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.
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
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.
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
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.
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of 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'.
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight — day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 Mwen te kontan mache toupatou sou latè. Mwen te pran plezi m' ak lèzòm.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons 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!
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who 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 instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
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!
O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
35 Lè yon moun jwenn mwen, se lavi li jwenn. Li antre nan favè Bondye.
For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
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.
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
