Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
Pandan ou jenn gason an, pa janm bliye Bondye ki te kreye ou la, anvan jou malè yo rive sou ou, anvan lè a rive pou ou di: Mwen pa jwenn ankenn plezi nan lavi.
2 before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
Lè sa a, limyè solèy la, lalin lan ak zetwal yo ap parèt twoub twoub devan je ou. Syèl la pa janm klè. Lapli poko fin tonbe, tan an gen tan mare ankò.
3 on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
Lè sa a, bra ou yo ki te konn pwoteje ou ap tranble. Janm ou yo ki enganm koulye a ap febli. Ou p'ap gen dan pou kraze manje. Je ou yo ap twò fèb pou wè klè.
4 when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,
De twou zòrèy ou yo ap bouche, ou p'ap tande sa k'ap pase nan lari. Ata gwo bri moulen ki toupre ou la, w'a tande l' tou piti piti. Moun te mèt ap chante bò kote ou, w'ap tande vwa yo lwen lwen. Lè sa a, depi pipirit konmanse chante, nou gen tan leve.
5 when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
W'ap pè moute sou bagay ki twò wo pou ou pa gen tèt vire. Menm mache nan granchemen ap yon danje pou ou. Tout cheve nan tèt ou ap vin blan, w'ap pèdi fòs kouray ou. Pa gen anyen ki ka fè l' tounen ankò. W'ap desann nan dènye kay kote ou pral rete pou tou tan an. Lè sa a, moun ap mache rele nan tout lari.
6 Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
Wi, pa janm bliye Bondye ki fè ou la anvan ti chenn an ajan an detache sot tonbe, anvan bòl an lò a tonbe kraze, anvan kalbas dlo a kraze miyèt moso, anvan so a kase.
7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Lè sa a, kò nou pral tounen pousyè latè jan l' te ye anvan an. Souf nou menm ap tounen jwenn Bondye ki te ban nou l' lan.
8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
Lavi pa vo anyen. Lavi pa sèvi anyen. Filozòf la di: Anyen pa vo anyen.
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
Men, paske filozòf la te gen bon konprann, li pa janm sispann moutre pèp la tou sa li te konnen. Li egzaminen anpil pwovèb, li etidye yo, li pran san li pou li sanble yo.
10 The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
Li pran san li pou li jwenn pawòl ki pou fè moun plezi. Men nan tou sa li ekri, li bay verite a jan li wè l' la.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
Pawòl moun ki gen konprann tankou baton yo sèvi pou djige bèf kabwa. Liv pwovèb yo tankou yon seri klou yo kloure yonn kot lòt. Men se yon sèl mèt ki bay yo, se Bondye.
12 And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
Pitit mwen, men sa pou ou fè: Pran leson sou bagay sa yo. Si pou yo ta ekri anpil liv, yo pa ta janm fini. Lè ou etidye twòp, sa fè kè ou fè ou mal.
13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
Apre tout pawòl sa yo, se yon sèl bagay pou m' di nan sa: Gen krentif pou Bondye. Fè tou sa li mande ou fè yo. Se pou sa ase Bondye te kreye moun.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
Paske Bondye ap jije tou sa n'ap fè, kit yo bon, kit yo pa bon, ata bagay nou fè an kachèt.
