Pwovèb 26
1 Tankou lanèj nan sezon chalè a, tankou lapli nan sezon rekòlt, se konsa respè pa merite rive sou yon moun ensanse.
Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.
2 Tankou yon ti zwazo k ap sove ale, tankou yon ti iwondèl nan vòl li, se konsa yon madichon san koz p ap poze.
A curse that isn't deserved won't land on the person, like a fluttering sparrow or a flitting swallow.
3 Yon fwèt se pou chwal la, yon brid pou bourik la, ak baton pou do a moun ensanse a.
Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
4 Pa reponn yon moun ensanse selon foli li, oswa ou va vin tankou li.
Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
5 Reponn yon moun ensanse selon foli li merite, pou l pa vin saj nan pwòp zye li.
Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.
6 Li koupe pwòp pye li, e bwè vyolans, ki voye yon mesaj pa men a moun ensanse a.
Trusting someone stupid to deliver a message is like cutting of your feet or drinking poison.
7 Tankou janm ki initil pou moun bwate a, se konsa yon pwovèb nan bouch a moun ensanse.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as useless as a lame person's legs.
8 Tankou yon moun ki mare wòch anndan fistibal se konsa sila ki bay respè a moun ensanse a.
Honoring someone stupid is as pointless as tying a stone into a sling.
9 Tankou yon pikan ki tonbe nan men yon moun k ap bwè gwòg, se konsa yon pwovèb nan bouch a moun ki ensanse.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as ridiculous as a thorn bush waved around by a drunk.
10 Tankou moun ak banza k ap blese tout moun, se konsa sila ki anplwaye moun ensanse a, ak sila ki anplwaye sila k ap pase pa aza a.
Anyone who hires someone stupid or just a passer-by is like an archer wounding people by shooting arrows at random.
11 Tankou yon chen ki retounen nan vomi li, se konsa yon moun ensanse kap repete foli li.
Stupid people repeat their stupidity like a dog returning to its vomit.
12 Èske ou wè yon moun ki saj nan pwòp zye li? Gen plis espwa pou moun fou pase li menm.
Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for stupid people than for him!
13 Parese a di: “Gen yon lyon nan lari a! Yon lyon nan plas la!”
Lazy people are the ones who say, “There's a lion on the road—a lion running around the streets!”
14 Tankou pòt la vire sou gon li, se konsa parese a sou kabann li.
A lazy person turns in bed like a door turns on its hinge.
15 Parese a fouye men l nan plato a; men l twò fatige pou fè l ankò rive nan bouch li.
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, but are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
16 Parese a pi saj nan pwòp zye li pase sèt moun ki kab reponn ak bon konprann.
In their own eyes lazy people are wiser than many sensible advisors.
17 Tankou yon moun ki pran yon chen pa zòrèy, se konsa sila k ap pase pa aza a, pou l gaye nan goumen ki pa apatyen a li menm nan.
Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
18 Tankou yon moun fou k ap jete bwa dife, flèch ak lanmò,
You're like a crazy person firing off blazing arrows and killing people
19 se konsa nonm ki tronpe vwazen li an pou di: “Èske se pa blag mwen t ap fè?”
if you lie to your friend and then say, “I was only joking!”
20 Akoz mank bwa, dife a etenn; lè ti koze sispann, rayisman vin kalme.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and without gossips, arguments stop.
21 Tankou chabon tou limen anvè sann cho, ak bwa anvè dife, se konsa yon moun tchenpwèt chofe pwoblèm pou limen konfli.
An argumentative person fires up quarrels like putting charcoal on hot embers or wood on a fire.
22 Pawòl a moun k ap chichote nan zòrèy moun nan, vin tankou bèl ti mòso delika. Yo desann rive jis nan pati pi fon kò a.
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
23 Tankou veso ki fèt ak tè ki kouvri ak yon kouch ajan, se konsa lèv ki brile ak yon kè ki mechan.
Smooth talking with evil intent is like a shiny lead glaze on an earthenware pot.
24 Yon nonm malonèt, kache sa pou l pa parèt sou lèv li; men nan kè l, li fè depo desepsyon.
People say nice things to you even though they hate you; deep down they're just lying to you.
25 Lè l pale byen dous, pa kwè l; paske, gen sèt abominasyon nan kè l.
When people talk nicely to you, don't believe them—their minds are full of hate for you.
26 Malgre rayisman kouvri kò l ak riz, mechanste li va devwale devan asanble a.
Even though their hatred may be hidden by cunning tricks, their evil will be revealed to everyone.
27 Sila ki fouye fòs la va tonbe ladann, e sila ki woule wòch la, sou li menm l ap retounen.
Those who dig pits to trap others will fall in themselves, and those who start boulders rolling will be crushed themselves.
28 Yon lang ki bay manti, rayi sila li kraze yo, e zèv a lang flatè a se dega.
If you tell lies, you show you hate your victims; if you flatter people, you cause disaster.
