Ecclesiastes 7
1 A [good] name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's 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: in that that is the end of all men, and the living taketh it to 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 Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
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 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 for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than 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 maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.
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 its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud 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 vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.
Pa chofè kè ou pou vin fache; paske fache rete nan kè a moun ensanse.
10 Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost 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, and profitable to them that see the sun.
Sajès ansanm ak eritaj bon, e se yon avantaj pou sila ki konn wè solèy yo.
12 For wisdom is a defence [as] money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, [that] wisdom maketh them that possess it to live.
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 straight what he hath made crooked?
Konsidere zèv Bondye yo, paske se kilès ki ka drese sa ke Li menm te koube?
14 In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing [of what shall be] 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] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.
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 righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Pa fè eksè nan ladwati, ni pa vin twò saj. Poukisa ou ta detwi pwòp tèt ou?
17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest 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 shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh 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 strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] 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 doeth good and sinneth not.
Anverite, nanpwen yon moun dwat sou latè ki fè sa ki bon tout tan, e ki pa janm peche.
21 Also give not heed unto 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 also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Paske ou vin konprann ke ou menm tou anpil fwa konn bay moun madichon.
23 All this have I tried by 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 Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?
Sa ki te konn egziste vin lwen, e se yon mistè menm. Se kilès ki ka dekouvri li?
25 I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be 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 found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught 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 See this which I have found, saith the Preacher, [searching] one by one to find out the reason;
“Gade byen, se sa mwen dekouvri,” predikatè a di: “Ajoute yon bagay a yon lòt pou twouve konprann.”
28 which my soul yet seeketh, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.
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 Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
Men gade, se sèl sa mwen dekouvri; Bondye te fè lòm kanpe dwat, men yo chache anpil manèv pou vin koube.
