Pwovèb 25
1 Sila yo se pwovèb yo a Salomon ke mesye Ézéchias yo, wa Juda a te dechifre.
Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
2 Se glwa Bondye pou kache yon bagay; men se glwa a wa yo pou chache konprann yon bagay.
The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
3 Tankou syèl la nan wotè a, ak tè a nan pwofondè a, se konsa kè a wa a ensondab.
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
4 Retire vye kras sou ajan k ap fonn nan, e va sòti metal pi pou òfèv la.
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
5 Retire mechan an devan wa a, e twòn li an va etabli nan ladwati.
Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
6 Pa reklame bèl repitasyon nan prezans a wa a, e pa kanpe nan plas a moun pwisan yo;
Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
7 paske li pi bon pou yo di ou: “Vin monte isit la”, olye pou ou ta oblije desann piba nan prezans a prens lan, ke zye ou te wè.
For better [that] he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.
8 Pa fè vit lantre nan tribinal pou diskite ka ou; anfen, sa ou va fè lè vwazen ou fè ou desann nèt.
Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
9 Diskite pwòp ka pa ou devan vwazen ou, e pa devwale sekrè a yon lòt,
Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
10 oswa sila ki tande ou a, va fè ou repwòch, e move rapò sou ou menm p ap janm disparèt.
Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
11 Tankou pòm an lò ki monte sou ajan, se konsa yon mo byen plase nan moman li.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 Tankou yon zanno an lò ak yon dekorasyon an lò fen se yon repwòch saj nan zòrèy k ap koute.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
13 Tankou fredi lanèj nan lè rekòlt, se konsa yon mesaje fidèl ye a sila ki voye l yo, paske li rafrechi nanm a mèt li yo.
As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
14 Tankou nwaj ak van san lapli, se konsa yon nonm ki ogmante don li yo ak manti.
Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 Ak pasyans, yon chèf ka vin pèswade; se yon lang dous ki kase zo.
By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
16 Èske ou te jwenn siwo myèl? Manje sèlman kont ou, pou ou pa gen twòp pou vomi li.
Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
17 Kite pye ou raman pile lakay vwazen ou, sinon li va fatige avè w, e vin rayi ou.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
18 Tankou gwo baton, nepe, oswa flèch file, se konsa yon nonm ki pote fo temwen kont vwazen li.
A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
19 Tankou yon move dan ak yon pye ki pa estab, se konsa konfyans nan yon nonm enfidèl nan tan gwo twoub.
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
20 Tankou yon moun ki retire rad li nan jou fredi, oswa tankou vinèg sou poud bikabonat, se konsa sila ki chante chan ak kè twouble yo ye.
Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
21 Si lènmi ou grangou, ba li manje; epi si li swaf, ba li dlo pou l bwè;
If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
22 paske, ou va anpile chabon tou limen sou tèt li, e SENYÈ a va bay ou rekonpans.
For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
23 Van nò pote lapli e yon lang medizan, pote yon move vizaj.
A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
24 Li pi bon pou viv nan yon kwen twati pase nan yon kay avèk yon fanm k ap fè kont tout tan.
Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
25 Tankou dlo frèt pou yon nanm fatige, se konsa yon bòn nouvèl ki sòti nan yon peyi lwen.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 Tankou yon sous ki foule anba pye ak yon pwi kontamine, se konsa yon nonm dwat ki bay plas a mechan an.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27 Li pa bon pou bwè anpil siwo myèl, ni li pa bon pou chache pwòp glwa pa w.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
28 Tankou yon gran vil ki kase antre san miray, se konsa yon nonm ki pa kontwole pwòp tèt li.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
