Pwovèb 4
1 Tande, O fis yo, enstriksyon a yon papa, e fè atansyon pou ou kab reyisi jwenn bon konprann,
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 Paske mwen bay ou bon konsèy; pa abandone enstriksyon mwen.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 Lè m te yon jenn timoun ak papa m, byen jenn e sèl fis devan zye a manman m,
When I was a young boy, loved by 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.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Vin ranmase sajès! Ranmase bon konprann! Pa bliye, ni pa vire kite pawòl a bouch mwen yo.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 Pa abandone li e li va pwoteje ou; renmen li e li va veye sou ou.
Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
7 Men sa ki kòmansman sajès la: Ranmase sajès! Epi avèk sa ou rasanble a, chache bon konprann.
The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
8 Mete valè li wo e li va fè ou leve; li va bay ou onè si ou anbrase l.
If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
9 Li va poze sou tèt ou yon kouwòn lagras; li va prezante ou avèk yon kouwòn byen bèl.”
If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
10 Tande, fis mwen an, vin dakò ak pawòl mwen yo, e lane lavi ou yo va vin byen long.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 Mwen te dirije ou nan chemen sajès la; mwen te kondwi ou nan pa ladwati yo.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 Lè ou mache, pa ou yo p ap jennen; epi si ou kouri, ou p ap glise tonbe.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Pran enstriksyon; pa lage menm. Pwoteje li paske li se lavi ou.
Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
14 Pa antre nan chemen mechan yo, e pa avanse nan vwa malfektè yo.
Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
15 Evite li, pa pase kote li; vire kite li e ale byen lwen.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
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.
because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
17 Paske yo manje pen a malveyan yo e bwè diven vyolans.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 Men pa a moun dwat yo se tankou limyè granmmaten ki briye pi fò e pi fò jiskaske li vin fè jou nèt.
The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
19 Chemen mechan yo tankou tenèb; yo pa konnen sou kisa pou yo tonbe.
[But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
20 Fis mwen an, prete atansyon a pawòl mwen yo; panche zòrèy ou vè diskou mwen yo.
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 Pa kite yo vin disparèt devan zye ou; kenbe yo nan fon kè ou.
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 Paske yo se lavi a sila ki jwenn yo, ak lasante a tout kò yo.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Veye sou kè ou ak tout dilijans; paske de li, sous lavi yo koule.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Mete lwen de ou yon bouch manti e mete tout pawòl foub byen lwen ou.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Kite zye ou gade tou dwat devan e kite vizyon ou konsantre devan nèt.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Veye wout pye ou konn pran e tout chemen ou yo va byen etabli.
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
27 Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch; fè pye ou vire kite mal.
Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
