Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!
Konsa, mwen te gade ankò sou tout zèv k ap oprime moun anba solèy la. Epi gade byen, mwen te wè dlo nan zye a oprime yo, e yo pa t jwenn pèsòn pou bay yo soulajman. Sou kote a sila ki t ap oprime yo, te gen gwo pouvwa; men, yo pa t jwenn pèsòn pou bay yo soulajman.
2 I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
Pou sa, mwen te felisite tout sila ki fin mouri deja yo, olye sila k ap viv yo.
3 But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
Men pi beni pase tou de nan yo se sila ki pa t janm egziste a, ki pa t wè tout mechanste ki konn fèt anba solèy la.
4 I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
Mwen konn wè tout zèv ak tout metye ki konn fèt, fèt akoz lanvi antre yon nonm ak vwazen li. Sa anplis se vanite ak fè lachas dèyè van.
5 Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
Moun ensanse a pliye men l e manje pwòp chè li.
6 It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
Yon men plen repo se miyò ke de ponyèt plen travay k ap fè kòve dèyè van an.
7 Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
Konsa mwen te gade ankò sou vanite anba solèy la.
8 What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!
Te gen yon sèten mesye san fanmi ki pa t genyen ni fis, ni frè. Sepandan, nan travay li, pa t gen repo menm. Anverite, zye li pa t janm satisfè ak richès, men li pa t janm kon mande: “Epi pou ki moun m ap travay e prive tèt mwen de plezi konsa?” Sa, anplis se vanite, e sa se yon kòve ki plen doulè.
9 Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.
De moun pi bon pase yon sèl, paske y ap jwenn bon benefis pou travay yo.
10 If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.
Paske si youn nan yo ta tonbe, lòt la va leve pare li. Men malè a sila ki tonbe lè nanpwen lòt pou fè l leve a.
11 In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.
Anplis, si de moun kouche ansanm, youn chofe lòt; men ki jan yon sèl moun ta ka chofe?
12 Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
Anplis, si youn ka venk sila ki sèl la, de ka reziste ak li; epi yon kòd fèt ak twa fil ap mal pou chire.
13 A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
Yon jennjan ki malere men ki gen sajès, miyò pase yon ansyen wa ki ensanse, e ki pa konn resevwa konsèy.
14 He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
Paske li te sòti nan prizon pou vin wa, malgre li te fèt malere nan wayòm li an.
15 I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
Mwen te wè tout sa k ap viv anba solèy la kouri bò kote dezyèm jennjan ki ranplase li an.
16 He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
Pèp la p ap janm fini; tout moun ki te avan yo, ni sila k ap vini pita yo p ap kontan avèk li. Anverite, sa osi se vanite ak kouri dèyè van.
