Pwovèb 22
1 Yon bon non pi bon pase tout richès; e favè Bondye, pase ajan ak lò.
(Having a good reputation/Being honored by people) is better than having a lot of money; being well respected is better than having plenty of gold or silver [DOU].
2 Rich la ak malere a mare ansanm; se SENYÈ a ki fè yo tout.
There is one thing that is true about both rich people and poor people: Yahweh is the one who created all of them.
3 Sila ki reflechi, wè mal e kache kò li; men ensanse yo antre ladann e jwenn pinisyon.
Those who have good sense realize [that there is something] dangerous ahead, and they avoid it; those who do not have good sense just keep going and later they will suffer because of doing that.
4 Rekonpans pou imilite avèk lakrent SENYÈ a se richès, bon repitasyon, ak lavi.
The reward that Yahweh gives to those who are humble and who revere him is that he causes them to be rich and honored and to live for a long time.
5 Pikan ak pèlen se nan chemen a pèvès yo; sila ki veye nanm li, va rete lwen yo.
Because of the things that wicked people do, [they have difficulties/troubles] that will be like thorns and traps on the roads that they walk on [MET]; people who are careful/cautious will be able to stay away from those difficulties.
6 Leve yon timoun nan chemen li ta dwe ale, e lè li vin gran, li p ap kite li; menm lè l granmoun, li p ap kite li.
If you train/teach children to do what is right, all during their life they will act/behave in that manner.
7 Rich yo domine sou pòv yo, e moun ki prete vin esklav a sila k ap bay prè a.
Rich people rule over poor people harshly, and those who borrow money become like slaves [MET] of the people who lend [money to them].
8 Sila ki simen inikite a va rekòlte vanite; e baton kòlè li a va detwi.
[If you plant corn or rice, corn or rice will grow]; [similarly], if you act unjustly, you will have disasters [MET]; and if you try to harm/oppress people [because you are angry with them], you will not be able to harm them.
9 Sila ki bay ak men louvri va beni; paske li bay manje a malere.
[God] will bless those who are generous [IDM], those who give some of their food to poor [people].
10 Mete moun k ap moke moun yo deyò, e diskisyon an prale tou; wi, konfli ak dezonore moun ap sispann.
If you get rid of those who make fun of [everything that is good], there will no more arguing or quarreling or insulting [other people].
11 Sila ki renmen kè ki san tach e ki pale ak gras, va zanmi a wa a.
If you always act sincerely [IDM] and always speak kindly, the king will be your friend.
12 Zye a SENYÈ a konsève konesans; men Li boulvèse pawòl moun malveyan yo.
Yahweh [SYN] (watches over/takes care of) [those who have] good understanding/sense, but he ruins the plans/affairs of those who always try to deceive others.
13 Parese a di: “Gen yon lyon deyò a; m ap mouri nan lari!”
Lazy people [remain in their houses]; they say, “A lion might attack me if I go out into the street [to go to work]!”
14 Bouch a fanm adiltè a se yon fòs byen fon; sila ke SENYÈ a modi va tonbe ladann.
What (wives who commit adultery/immoral women) say [to men] [MTY] is [like] a deep pit [MET] [into which those men fall]; those with whom Yahweh is angry will fall into that pit.
15 Foli mare nan kè a yon timoun; baton disiplin nan va retire sa mete lwen li.
Children [SYN] naturally do things that are foolish, but if you punish/spank them [PRS], they [will] (stop doing foolish things/learn to behave as they should).
16 Sila ki oprime malere a pou ogmante tèt li; ni sila k ap fè kado a rich yo, va rive nan povrete.
Those who oppress poor [people] in order to become rich, and those who give [a bribe] to rich [people in order that the rich people will do a favor for them], will just lose their money.
17 Apiye zòrèy ou pou tande pawòl a saj yo; epi aplike ou a konesans mwen.
[Now] listen [MTY] to what wise [people] have said; think carefully about what I am teaching you.
18 Paske sa va byen agreyab pou ou si ou kenbe yo anndan ou, pou yo toujou prè sou lèv ou.
It will be good to (keep these things in your minds/always remember them), because if you do that, you will be able to quote/recite them [to others].
19 Pou konfyans ou kapab nan SENYÈ a, mwen te enstwi ou jodi a, menm ou menm nan.
[I want you to] trust in Yahweh, and that is the reason that I am telling them to you, now.
20 Èske mwen pa t ekri ou trant bèl bagay, de konsèy ak konesans yo?
I have written [RHQ] 30 (sayings/things that wise people have said) from which you will receive good advice and you will be able you to know [many good/useful things].
21 Pou fè ou konnen vrè pawòl verite yo, pou ou kab byen reponn sila ki te voye ou a?
From them, you will learn what is right and what is true, in order that you will be able to bring back a good report to those who sent you [to school] (OR, give a good answer [to those who ask you questions]).
22 Pa vòlè malere a paske li pòv, ni kraze aflije nan pòtay la;
[It is easy to] rob poor [people] who are helpless [and cannot defend themselves, but] never [do that]; and do not oppress in court those who are needy/afflicted,
23 paske, SENYÈ a va plede ka yo e pran lavi a sila ki vòlè yo.
because Yahweh will speak to defend them, and he will punish those who steal things from others—by causing them to die.
24 Pa asosye ak yon nonm ki livre a kòlè; oswa ale ak yon moun kolerik,
Do not become friends with those who often become angry, and do not associate with those who cannot control their temper/anger,
25 sinon, ou va aprann mès li yo e jwenn yon pèlen pou tèt ou.
because you might start to act like they do and not be able to stop doing that.
26 Pa konte pami sila ki sèvi kon garanti yo, pami sila ki fè sekirite pou dèt yo.
If someone borrows money, do not be one of those who promises to pay what that person owes he cannot pay it back,
27 Si ou pa gen mwayen pou ou kab peye, poukisa ou ta kite l rale kabann nan sòti anba ou?
because if you cannot pay it back, people will surely [RHQ] [come and] take away [everything you own], even your bed.
28 Pa deplase ansyen bòn ke papa zansèt nou yo te mete a.
Do not [steal some of your neighbors’ land by] removing the boundary lines/markers that your ancestors placed/set.
29 Èske ou wè yon nonm byen abil nan travay li? Li va kanpe devan wa yo; li p ap oblije kanpe devan nenpòt kalite vye moun.
Know/Learn [RHQ] this about those who do their work very skillfully: They will quit working for ordinary people and will start working for kings [because the kings will want people like that to work for them].
