Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, than the day of birth.
Yon bon non pi bon pase yon pomad swa, e jou mouri pi bon pase jou nou te ne a.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. For that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
Li pi bon pou ale nan kay k ap fè dèy pase nan kay k ap fè fèt; paske se konsa ke chak moun va fini, e sila ki vivan an pran sa a kè.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
Tristès pi bon pase ri; paske lè figi moun nan tris, kè la vin pi bon.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Panse a saj la anndan lakay k ap fè dèy; men panse a san konprann nan kay plezi.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Li pi bon pou koute repwòch a yon nonm saj pase pou yon moun ta koute chanson a moun san konprann yo.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Paske tankou bwa pikan sèch pete nan dife; se konsa lè yon nonm ensanse ap ri; epi sa anplis se vanite.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.
Paske chantay ka fè yon nonm saj vin fou, e lajan anba tab fè kè vin konwonpi.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Lè yon bagay fin fèt, li pi bon pase lè l te kòmanse a. Pasyans nan lespri pi bon pase awogans lespri a.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Pa chofè kè ou pou vin fache; paske fache rete nan kè a moun ensanse.
10 Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Pa di: “Poukisa jou lontan yo te pi bon pase jodi a”? Paske nanpwen sajès nan kesyon sa a.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
Sajès ansanm ak eritaj bon, e se yon avantaj pou sila ki konn wè solèy yo.
12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
Paske sajès se yon pwotèj, menm ke lajan se yon pwotèj la; men avantaj a bon konprann nan se ke sajès va prezève lavi a sila ki genyen l.
13 Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Konsidere zèv Bondye yo, paske se kilès ki ka drese sa ke Li menm te koube?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider. Yea, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
Nan jou bonè yo fè kè kontan; men nan jou malè yo, reflechi—Bondye te fè tou de pou lòm pa dekouvri anyen nan sa k ap swiv li.
15 All this I have seen in my days of vanity. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.
Mwen te wè tout bagay pandan tout jou vanite mwen yo; gen yon nonm dwat ki mouri nan ladwati, ak yon nonm mechan ki fè vi li long ak mechanste li a.
16 Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise. Why should thou destroy thyself?
Pa fè eksè nan ladwati, ni pa vin twò saj. Poukisa ou ta detwi pwòp tèt ou?
17 Do not much wrong, nor be thou a fool. Why should thou die before thy time?
Pa fè eksè nan mechanste, ni pa vin ensanse. Poukisa ou ta vle mouri avan lè ou?
18 It is good that thou should take hold of this, yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand. For he who fears God shall come forth from them all.
Li bon pou ou ta kenbe pran yon bagay san ou pa lage lòt la; paske sila ki gen lakrent Bondye a ap vini ak tou de.
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
Sajès ranfòse yon nonm saj plis pase dis gwo chèf ki nan yon vil.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good, and sins not.
Anverite, nanpwen yon moun dwat sou latè ki fè sa ki bon tout tan, e ki pa janm peche.
21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
Anplis, pa pran a kè tout pawòl ki pale, sof ke ou ta tande sèvitè ou lè l ap bay ou madichon.
22 For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.
Paske ou vin konprann ke ou menm tou anpil fwa konn bay moun madichon.
23 All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
Mwen te tante fè tout sa ak sajès e mwen te di: “Mwen va saj”, men sa te chape lwen mwen.
24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
Sa ki te konn egziste vin lwen, e se yon mistè menm. Se kilès ki ka dekouvri li?
25 I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
Mwen te dirije panse m pou konnen; pou fè ankèt e chache sajès avèk rezon, e pou konnen mechanste se foli; e foli menm rive fè moun fou.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Epi mwen te dekouvri pi anmè pase mouri, kè a fanm ki fè pèlen an. Men li yo se tankou chenn. Yon moun ki plè Bondye va chape anba men l, men pechè a va vin kaptire anba l.
27 Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,
“Gade byen, se sa mwen dekouvri,” predikatè a di: “Ajoute yon bagay a yon lòt pou twouve konprann.”
28 which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: among a thousand I have found one man, but among all those I have not found a woman.
Sou sila m toujou ap chache a, men m poko jwenn; mwen te twouve yon nonm pami mil, men mwen pa t jwenn fanm pami tout sa yo.
29 Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many contrivances.
Men gade, se sèl sa mwen dekouvri; Bondye te fè lòm kanpe dwat, men yo chache anpil manèv pou vin koube.
