Ecclesiastes 8
1 Who can compare to the truly wise? Who knows how to interpret things? If you have wisdom your face lights up, and your stern look is softened.
Se moun ki gen bon konprann ki konnen jan pou l' bay esplikasyon. Lè yon moun gen bon konprann, sa fè kè l' kontan, tout pli nan fwon l' disparèt.
2 My advice is to do what the king says, since that's what you promised God.
Se pou ou fè sa wa a bay lòd fè a, poutèt sèman ou te fè devan Bondye a.
3 Don't be quick to walk out on the king without thinking what you're doing, and don't get involved with those who plot against him, for the king can do what he pleases.
Pa prese wete kò ou devan li, pa pèsiste nan move pant lan, paske li ka fè ou sa li vle.
4 The king's orders have supreme authority—who is going to question him, saying, “What are you doing?”
Lè wa a pale, se fini. Pa gen moun ki pou mande l' poukisa l'ap fè sa l'ap fè a.
5 Those who follow his commands will not be involved in doing evil. Wise people think, recognizing there's a right time, and a right way.
Moun ki fè sa yo ba li lòd fè a pa nan pwoblèm. Yo p'ap fè l' anyen. Yon nonm ki gen bon konprann konnen ki jan ak kilè pou l' fè sa li gen pou l' fè a.
6 For there's a right time and a right way for everything, even when things are going badly for you.
Chak bagay gen jan pou yo fè l' ak lè pou yo fè l'. Se la tout tèt chaje a ye.
7 No one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
Pesonn pa konnen sa ki pral rive. Epi pa gen pesonn ki ka di nou sa ki pral rive.
8 No one can hold onto the breath of life; no one can prevent the day when they die. There's no way of escaping that battle, and the wicked won't be saved by their wickedness!
Pesonn pa mèt lavi l'. Lè jou a rive pou l' mouri, fòk li mouri. Pesonn pa ka ranvwaye jou lanmò li. Nou pa ka kouri pou batay sa a. Ata mechanste mechan yo pa ka sove yo.
9 I examined all these things, and thought about all that happens here on earth, and the damage that's caused when people dominate others.
Mwen wè tou sa, lè m' t'ap kalkile sou sa k'ap pase sou latè. Moun ap dominen sou moun pou fè yo soufri.
10 Yes, I have seen wicked people buried with great honor. They used to go to the holy place, and were praised in the very city where they did their evil. This is hard to understand!
Wi. Mwen wè yo antere mechan yo, yo kouche kadav yo anba tè. Mwen wè moun ki mache dwat yo pa menm jwenn kote pou moun antere yo. Tout moun nan lavil la bliye sa yo te fè. Tou sa ankò pa vo anyen, sa p'ap sèvi anyen.
11 When people are not punished quickly for their crimes they are even more determined to do wrong.
Se paske yo pran twòp tan pou yo pini moun ki fè mal yo ki fè moun toujou anvi fè sa ki mal.
12 Even though a sinner may do wrong a hundred times, and live a long life, I'm convinced that those who do what God says will be better off.
Yon moun k'ap fè sa ki mal gen dwa fè san (100) krim, yonn sou lòt, epi l'ap toujou mache sou moun. Men, mwen konnen yo di tou: Si ou gen krentif pou Bondye, w'ap viv ak kè kontan, paske ou respekte Bondye.
13 In fact, the wicked will not live long, passing like a shadow, because they refuse to follow God.
Men se pa menm bagay la pou mechan an. L'ap malere, lavi li tankou yon lonbraj. L'ap mouri bonè, paske li pa gen krentif pou Bondye.
14 Another thing that is hard to understand is this: good people are treated as the wicked should be, and the wicked are treated as good people should be. As I say, this is difficult to comprehend!
Men tou sa se pawòl anlè. Gade sa k'ap pase sou latè: Gen moun ki mache dwat ki resevwa pinisyon mechan yo. Gen mechan ki resevwa rekonpans moun ki mache dwat yo. Mwen di tou sa pa vo anyen.
15 So I recommend enjoying life. There's nothing better for us here on earth than to eat and drink and be happy. Such an attitude will go with us as we work, and as we live our lives that God gives us here on earth.
Se konsa mwen mache di se pou tout moun jwi lavi yo, paske sèl plezi yon nonm gen nan lavi a se manje, se bwè, se pran plezi. Se sa ase li ka fè pandan l'ap travay di nan lavi Bondye ba l' pou l' viv sou latè a.
16 When I applied my mind to discovering wisdom and observing everything people do here on earth, I couldn't get any sleep, day or night.
Chak fwa mwen pran desizyon pou m' chache konprann, chak fwa mwen pran kalkile sa k'ap pase sou latè, mwen wè ou te mèt pa janm dòmi lajounen kou lannwit,
17 Then I studied everything God does, and I realized that no one can fully understand what happens here. However, hard they try, however wise they claim to be, they can't really comprehend it.
ou p'ap janm ka konprann travay Bondye sou latè. Ou mèt fè sa ou vle, ou p'ap janm ka rive jwenn sa w'ap chache a. Moun ki gen bon konprann kwè yo konnen. Men yo pa konnen plis pase yon lòt.
