Ecclesiastes 9
1 So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.
Paske, tout sa mwen te pote kon fado nan kè m pou eksplike li; ke moun dwat yo, moun saj yo, avèk tout zèv yo nan men Bondye. Lòm pa konnen si se lanmou, oswa rayisman; nenpòt bagay kapab tann li.
2 It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.
Se menm bagay la pou tout moun. Gen yon sèl desten pou moun dwat yo ak mechan yo; pou bon an, pou moun san tach la, ak pou enpi a; pou sila ki ofri sakrifis ak sila ki pa ofri sakrifis la. Tankou sila ki dwat ak pechè a menm jan; tankou sila ki fè sèman an, se konsa sila ki refize sèmante a ye.
3 This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.
Men yon mal nan tout sa ki konn fèt anba solèy la, ke gen menm desten an pou tout moun. Anplis, kè a fis a lòm yo plen mechanste, e foli rete nan kè yo pandan tout lavi yo. Apre, yo ale kote mò yo.
4 There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.
Paske, nenpòt moun ki jwenn ansanm ak lòt vivan yo gen espwa; anverite, yon chen vivan pi bon pase yon lyon ki mouri.
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.
Paske vivan yo konnen ke y ap mouri; men mò yo pa konnen anyen; ni yo pa jwenn rekonpans ankò, paske memwa yo fin bliye nèt.
6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.
Anverite, lanmou yo, rayisman yo, ak fòs kouraj yo deja fin mouri, e yo pa gen pati ankò nan tout sa ki fèt anba solèy la.
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:
Ale manje pen ou ak kè kontan e bwè diven ak kè plen ak jwa; paske Bondye deja pran plezi nan sa ou fè a.
8 Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.
Kite tout vètman ou yo rete blan tout tan, e pa kite lwil la manke sou tèt ou.
9 Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.
Fè rejwisans lavi ou ak fanm ke ou renmen pandan tout jou kout lavi ou ke Li te bay ou anba solèy la. Paske sa se rekonpans ou nan lavi ak nan travay di ou konn fè anba solèy la.
10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. (Sheol h7585)
Nenpòt sa ke men ou jwenn pou fè, fè l ak tout kouraj ou. Paske pa gen aktivite, ni plan, ni konesans, ni sajès nan Sejou mò kote ou prale a. (Sheol h7585)
11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.
Anplis, mwen te wè anba solèy la ke kous la pa pou moun ki rapid la, ni batay la pa pou gwo gèrye yo, ni pen pou saj la, ni richès a sila ki byen konprann nan, ni favè a moun abil; paske tan avèk jan tout bagay dewoule vin genyen yo tout.
12 For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.
Anplis, lòm pa konnen lè li tankou pwason ki kenbe nan yon filè mechan an, o zwazo ki kenbe nan pèlen an. Se konsa fis a lòm yo sezi nan yon move moman. Epi lanmò an tonbe sou yo sibitman.
13 I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:
Sa osi, mwen te vin konprann kon sajès anba solèy la, e li te etone panse m.
14 There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.
Te gen yon ti vil ak kèk grenn moun ladann. Yon gran wa te parèt sou li, te antoure li, e te konstwi zam syèj kont li.
15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Men te twouve ladann yon malere byen saj; li te delivre vil la avèk sajès li. Men pa t gen pèsòn ki te sonje moun malere sila a.
16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
Konsa mwen te di: “Sajès pi bon pase pwisans.” Men sajès a malere a meprize, e pou pawòl li, pèsòn pa tande yo.
17 The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools.
Pawòl a saj k ap koute lè tout bagay kalm pi bon pase vwa chèf k ap rele fò nan mitan moun ensanse.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Sajès pi bon ke zam lagè; men yon sèl pechè detwi anpil ki bon.
