Pwovèb 4
1 Tande, O fis yo, enstriksyon a yon papa, e fè atansyon pou ou kab reyisi jwenn bon konprann,
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Paske mwen bay ou bon konsèy; pa abandone enstriksyon mwen.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 Lè m te yon jenn timoun ak papa m, byen jenn e sèl fis devan zye a manman m,
For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] 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.
He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain 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.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Pa abandone li e li va pwoteje ou; renmen li e li va veye sou ou.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Men sa ki kòmansman sajès la: Ranmase sajès! Epi avèk sa ou rasanble a, chache bon konprann.
Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get 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 shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, 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 shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10 Tande, fis mwen an, vin dakò ak pawòl mwen yo, e lane lavi ou yo va vin byen long.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 Mwen te dirije ou nan chemen sajès la; mwen te kondwi ou nan pa ladwati yo.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 Lè ou mache, pa ou yo p ap jennen; epi si ou kouri, ou p ap glise tonbe.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Pran enstriksyon; pa lage menm. Pwoteje li paske li se lavi ou.
Take fast hold of instruction; 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.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men].
15 Evite li, pa pase kote li; vire kite li e ale byen lwen.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
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, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall.
17 Paske yo manje pen a malveyan yo e bwè diven vyolans.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
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 just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day.
19 Chemen mechan yo tankou tenèb; yo pa konnen sou kisa pou yo tonbe.
The way of the wicked [is] as 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, attend to my words; incline thy ear to my sayings.
21 Pa kite yo vin disparèt devan zye ou; kenbe yo nan fon kè ou.
Let them not depart from thy 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 they [are] life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Veye sou kè ou ak tout dilijans; paske de li, sous lavi yo koule.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; 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.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Kite zye ou gade tou dwat devan e kite vizyon ou konsantre devan nèt.
Let thy eyes look right on, and let thy eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Veye wout pye ou konn pran e tout chemen ou yo va byen etabli.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch; fè pye ou vire kite mal.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
