Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember your Creator while you are young, before days of trouble come and you grow old, saying, “I'm not enjoying life anymore.”
Anplis, sonje Kreyatè ou a nan jou jenès ou yo, avan move jou yo rive e ane yo pwoche lè ou va di: “Mwen pa pran plezi nan yo;”
2 Before the light fades—sun, moon, and stars—and rain clouds return to darken the skies.
Avan solèy la ak limyè a, lalin nan ak zetwal yo vin tounwa, e nwaj yo retounen apre lapli yo;
3 Before the guards of the house tremble and the strong men are bent over, the grinders stop working because there are only a few left, and the ones looking through the windows only see dimly,
nan jou ke gadyen kay la tranble a, e mesye pwisan yo vin koube a. Lè sa yo k ap moule a rete san travay akoz anpil nan yo ki manke, e sila k ap gade nan fenèt yo vin mal pou wè.
4 and the doors to the street are shut. Before the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and you wake up early when the birds are singing, but you can hardly hear them.
Lè pòt vè lari yo vin fèmen akoz bri moulen an vin ba, e yon moun va leve ak son zwazo a, epi tout fi chanson yo va rete ba.
5 Before you develop a fear of heights and worry about going out on the streets; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper crawls along, and desire fails, for everyone has to go to their eternal home as the mourners go up and down the street.
Anplis mesye yo va vin pè yon wo plas ak gwo danje k ap vini a. Lè pye zanmann nan fleri, krikèt volan rale kò l olon wout la, e dezi gason an pa ka. Paske lòm nan ap prale nan kay etènèl li a, pandan sila k ap fè dèy yo vire toupatou nan wout la.
6 Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken; before the water jug is smashed at the spring, or the pulley is broken at the well.
Sonje Li avan kòd ajan an kase, e bòl an lò a kraze kivèt dlo la kote pwi a vin fann, e wou sitèn nan vin kraze.
7 Then the dust returns to the earth from which it came, and the breath of life returns to God who gave it.
Paske konsa pousyè la va retounen nan tè a jan li te ye a, e lespri a va retounen kote Bondye ki te bay li a.
8 “Everything passes! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.
“Vanite sou vanite”, predikatè a di: “tout se vanite!”
9 Not only was the Teacher a wise man, he also taught what he knew to others. He thought about many proverbs, studying them and arranging them.
Anplis akoz li te yon nonm saj, predikatè a te enstwi pèp la ak konesans. Wi, li te reflechi, chache twouve, e te aranje anpil pwovèb.
10 The Teacher looked for the best way to explain things, writing truthfully and honestly.
Predikatè a te chache jwenn bèl mò pou ekri pawòl verite yo byen kòrèk.
11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods. Their collected sayings are like nails driven home, given by one shepherd.
Pawòl a moun saj yo tankou pwent pike bèt yo ye; tankou klou ki kloure nèt, se konsa ansanm a pawòl sila yo ye. Se yon sèl Bèje ki bay yo tout.
12 In addition, my student, take care, for there's no end to book writing, and too much study wears you out.
Men anplis ke sa, fis mwen, veye byen: ekri anpil liv se yon bagay san rete, e anpil devosyon a liv yo va fatige kò ou.
13 To sum up now that everything has been discussed: Respect God by keeping his commandments, for that's what everyone should do.
Konklizyon lè tout bagay fin tande se: Gen lakrent Bondye e kenbe kòmandman li yo, akoz se sa ki aplike a tout moun.
14 God is going to judge us for everything we do, including what we do secretly, whether good or bad.
Paske Bondye va pote tout zèv nan jijman; tout sa ki kache, kit li bon kit li mal.
