Pwovèb 23
1 Lè ou chita sou tab ak yon ki gouvènè, konsidere byen sa ki devan ou.
If thou sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before thee:
2 Konsa, mete yon kouto sou gòj ou si ou se yon nonm ak gwo lanvi.
and apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such [meats]: but if thou art very insatiable,
3 Pa dezire bon manje sa yo, paske se yon repa desepsyon.
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 Pa fatige kò ou pou jwenn richès; sispann reflechi sou sa.
If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy wisdom.
5 Depi ou mete zye ou sou li, l ale. Paske, anverite, li gen zèl kon yon èg k ap vole vè syèl yo.
If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 Pa manje pen a yon mesye ki chich, ni anvi bèl bagay li;
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire thou his meats:
7 paske jan li panse nan tèt li a, se konsa li ye. Li di ou: “Manje e bwè!” Men kè li pa avè w.
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him:
8 Ou va vomi mòso ke ou te manje a e gaspiye tout bèl pawòl ou yo.
for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.
9 Pa pale nan zòrèy a moun sòt, paske l ap meprize sajès a pawòl ou yo.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words.
10 Pa deplase ansyen bòn nan, ni antre nan chan òfelen yo,
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 Paske Redanmtè yo a pwisan. Li va plede ka yo kont ou.
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with thee.
12 Aplike kè ou a disiplin ak zòrèy ou a pawòl ki pote konesans.
Apply thine heart to instruction, and prepare thine ears for words of discretion.
13 Pa ralanti disiplin sou yon timoun; malgre ou frape li ak yon baton, li p ap mouri.
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Fis mwen an, si kè ou saj, pwòp kè m va kontan tou.
Son, if thy heart be wise, thou shalt also gladden my heart;
16 Wi, jis anndan m va rejwi lè lèv ou pale sa ki dwat.
and thy lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 Pa kite kè ou fè lanvi pechè yo, men viv nan lakrent SENYÈ a tout tan.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Anverite, gen davni, e espwa ou p ap anile.
For if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; and thine hope shall not be removed.
19 Koute, fis mwen an, vin saj pou dirije kè ou nan chemen an.
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of thine heart.
20 Pa bwè twòp diven, ni fè voras nan manje vyann;
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 paske sila ki bwè twòp la ak moun voras la va vin pòv; e dòmi nan zye a va fè l abiye ak vye twal chire.
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 Koute papa ou ki te fè ou a, e pa meprize manman ou lè l vin granmoun.
Hearken, [my] son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not [thy mother] because she is grown old.
23 Achte verite e pa vann li! Ranmase sajès, enstriksyon ak bon konprann.
24 Papa a sila ki dwat la va rejwi anpil, e sila ki fè yon fis ki saj la va gen kè kontan nan li.
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 Kite papa ou ak manman ou fè kè kontan; kite fanm ki te fè ou a, rejwi.
Let thy father and thy mother rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be glad.
26 Ban m kè ou, fis mwen an; kite zye ou fè kè kontan nan chemen mwen yo.
[My] son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 Paske yon pwostitiye se yon fòs byen fon, e yon fanm adiltè se yon ti pwi etwat.
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 Anverite, li kache veye tankou vòlè, pou l ogmante enfidelite pami lòm.
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 Se kilès ki gen gwo pwoblèm? Se kilès ki gen tristès? Se kilès ki gen konfli? Se kilès kap plenyèn? Se kilès ki blese san rezon? Se kilès ki gen zye wouj?
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 Sila ki mize sou diven nan, sila ki ale goute diven mele an.
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 Pa gade diven an lè l wouj, lè l fè klè nan tas la, lè l desann byen dous.
For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 Nan dènye moman an, li mòde tankou sèpan; li brile tankou bouch koulèv.
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 Zye ou va wè bagay ki dwòl, e panse ou va twouble anpil.
Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 Ou va tankou yon moun ki kouche nan mitan lanmè, oswa tankou yon moun ki kouche sou ma batiman.
And thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 “Yo te frape m, men mwen pa t santi anyen! Yo te bat mwen, men mwen pa t konnen sa! Lè m leve, m ap chache pou m kab bwè ankò.”
And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
