Pwovèb 4
1 Tande, O fis yo, enstriksyon a yon papa, e fè atansyon pou ou kab reyisi jwenn bon konprann,
Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 Paske mwen bay ou bon konsèy; pa abandone enstriksyon mwen.
For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 Lè m te yon jenn timoun ak papa m, byen jenn e sèl fis devan zye a manman m,
For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
4 Alò, li te enstwi mwen e te di mwen: “Kite kè ou kenbe fèm a pawòl mwen; kenbe lòd mwen yo pou ou viv.
So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Vin ranmase sajès! Ranmase bon konprann! Pa bliye, ni pa vire kite pawòl a bouch mwen yo.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Pa abandone li e li va pwoteje ou; renmen li e li va veye sou ou.
Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
7 Men sa ki kòmansman sajès la: Ranmase sajès! Epi avèk sa ou rasanble a, chache bon konprann.
The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Mete valè li wo e li va fè ou leve; li va bay ou onè si ou anbrase l.
Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
9 Li va poze sou tèt ou yon kouwòn lagras; li va prezante ou avèk yon kouwòn byen bèl.”
She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Tande, fis mwen an, vin dakò ak pawòl mwen yo, e lane lavi ou yo va vin byen long.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 Mwen te dirije ou nan chemen sajès la; mwen te kondwi ou nan pa ladwati yo.
In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 Lè ou mache, pa ou yo p ap jennen; epi si ou kouri, ou p ap glise tonbe.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Pran enstriksyon; pa lage menm. Pwoteje li paske li se lavi ou.
Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 Pa antre nan chemen mechan yo, e pa avanse nan vwa malfektè yo.
Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Evite li, pa pase kote li; vire kite li e ale byen lwen.
Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
16 Paske, yo p ap kab dòmi si yo pa fè mal; epi dòmi vin vòlè soti nan zye yo si yo pa fè lòt glise tonbe.
For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 Paske yo manje pen a malveyan yo e bwè diven vyolans.
For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
18 Men pa a moun dwat yo se tankou limyè granmmaten ki briye pi fò e pi fò jiskaske li vin fè jou nèt.
But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 Chemen mechan yo tankou tenèb; yo pa konnen sou kisa pou yo tonbe.
The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 Fis mwen an, prete atansyon a pawòl mwen yo; panche zòrèy ou vè diskou mwen yo.
My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
21 Pa kite yo vin disparèt devan zye ou; kenbe yo nan fon kè ou.
Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
22 Paske yo se lavi a sila ki jwenn yo, ak lasante a tout kò yo.
For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Veye sou kè ou ak tout dilijans; paske de li, sous lavi yo koule.
Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
24 Mete lwen de ou yon bouch manti e mete tout pawòl foub byen lwen ou.
Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Kite zye ou gade tou dwat devan e kite vizyon ou konsantre devan nèt.
Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Veye wout pye ou konn pran e tout chemen ou yo va byen etabli.
Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch; fè pye ou vire kite mal.
Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
