Pwovèb 8
1 Èske sajès pa rele? Èske bon konprann pa leve vwa li?
Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?
2 Anlè wotè akote chemen yo, akote kafou wout yo; la li pran pozisyon li.
At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;
3 Akote pòtay yo, nan ouvèti vil la, nan antre pòtay yo, li kriye fò:
Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:
4 Vè nou menm, O mesye yo, mwen rele! Konsa, vwa m se pou fis a lòm yo.
I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.
5 O moun ensanse yo, vin aprann pridans! Moun fou yo, vin konprann sajès!
Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.
6 Koute mwen, paske mwen va pale gwo bagay. Lè lèv mwen louvri, y ap devwale bagay ki kòrèk.
Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.
7 Paske bouch mwen va eksprime verite; epi mechanste vin abominab a lèv mwen.
For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.
8 Tout pawòl a bouch mwen yo dwat; nanpwen anyen kwochi oswa pèvès ladann yo.
All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.
9 Yo byen dwat pou sila ki konprann nan, e kòrèk pou sila ki jwenn konesans lan.
They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.
10 Pran konsèy mwen olye ajan, e konesans olye pi chwa nan lò pi.
Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.
11 Paske, sajès pi bon ke bijou; epi tout pi bèl bagay yo p ap kab konpare avè l.
For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.
12 Mwen se sajès. Mwen rete avèk bon konprann. Konsa, mwen fè jwenn konesans ak bon sans.
I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.
13 Lakrent SENYÈ a se pou rayi mal, ansanm ak ògèy, awogans, ak yon bouch pevès.
The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.
14 Konsèy ak bon sajès se pou mwen. Entèlijans se non mwen. Pouvwa se pa m.
Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
15 Akoz mwen, wa yo vin renye; e gouvènè yo fè dekrè lajistis.
Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
16 Akoz mwen, prens ak nòb yo pran pouvwa; tout moun ki fè jijman ki bon yo.
Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
17 Mwen renmen sila ki renmen m yo. Sila ki chache mwen ak dilijans yo va jwenn mwen.
Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
18 Richès ak lonè avèk m; richès k ap dire ak ladwati.
Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
19 Fwi mwen pi bon ke lò, menm lò pi. Rannman mwen pi bon ke pi bèl ajan an.
My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
20 Mwen mache nan ladwati, nan mitan wout lajistis yo,
I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
21 Pou m bay a sila ki renmen m, richès; pou m kab ranpli kès yo.
So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.
22 SENYÈ a te posede m nan kòmansman travay pa Li; menm avan zèv ansyen Li yo.
The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.
23 Depi nan etènite, mwen te etabli, depi nan kòmansman, depi nan tan pi ansyen mond lan.
From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.
24 Lè potko gen pwofondè, mwen te fèt, lè pa t gen sous ki t ap bonbade dlo yo.
When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.
25 Avan mòn yo te poze, avan kolin yo, mwen te fèt;
Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:
26 pandan li potko fè tè a ak chan yo, ni premye grenn pousyè mond lan.
When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world.
27 Lè Li te etabli syèl yo, mwen te la, lè Li te trase yon sèk won fas a pwofondè a,
When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:
28 lè Li te fè syèl yo anwo vin fèm, lè sous nan fon yo te vin etabli,
When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:
29 lè Li te mete lizyè sou lanmè a pou dlo pa t vyole lòd Li, lè Li te make tras fondasyon tè a;
When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:
30 Nan tan sa a, mwen te akote Li, yon mèt ouvriye; epi, mwen te fè L plezi tout lajounen e te rejwi devan L tout tan,
Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;
31 Mwen t ap Rejwi nan mond Li a, e fè kè kontan nan fis a lòm yo.
Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Alò, pou sa, fis yo, koute mwen; paske beni se sila ki kenbe chemen mwen yo.
Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Koute lenstriksyon pou ou vin saj e pa neglije l.
Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.
34 Beni se moun ki koute mwen an, k ap veye chak jou nan pòtay mwen yo, k ap veye kote poto pòt kay mwen an.
Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.
35 Paske sila ki twouve mwen an, jwenn lavi e resevwa lonè devan SENYÈ a.
For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.
36 Men sila ki peche kont mwen an, fè pwòp tèt li mal; tout sila ki rayi mwen yo, renmen lanmò.”
But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.
