Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
Pito yo nonmen non ou anbyen pase pou yo pale sou kalite bon odè ou mete sou ou. Jou ou mouri a pi bon pase jou ou fèt la.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
Pito ou ale nan yon kay kote ki gen lanmò pase pou ou ale nan yon kay kote y'ap fè fèt, paske tout moun gen pou mouri. Nou menm ki vivan, nou pa dwe janm bliye sa.
3 Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart may be gladdened.
Pito yon moun nan lapenn pase pou l' gen kè kontan. Lapenn rale figi ou, men l'ap louvri lespri ou.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Moun ki gen bon konprann toujou ap kalkile sou lanmò. Moun sòt toujou ap kalkile sou ki jan pou yo jwi lavi a.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Pito ou tande yon moun ki gen bon konprann ap rale zòrèy ou pase pou ou tande moun sòt ap fè lwanj pou ou.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity.
Lè moun sòt ap ri, se tankou move chabon k'ap pete nan dife. Sa pa vo anyen.
7 Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
Lè yon moun ki gen bon konprann ap sibi move trètman, sa ka fè l' pèdi tèt li. Lajan sou kote fè l' pèdi karaktè l'.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Lè yon bagay ap fini li pi bon pase lè l'ap konmanse. Pito ou pran pasyans pase pou ou kite lògèy ap pouse ou.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Pa fè kòlè fasil, paske se moun sòt ki renmen fache.
10 Say not thou: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?' for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.
Pa janm mande poukisa tan lontan te pi bon pase tan n'ap viv koulye a. Moun ki gen bon konprann p'ap mande bagay konsa.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, yea, a profit to them that see the sun.
Sa bon pou moun gen bon konprann. Se tankou si ou te gen anpil byen. Se yon gwo avantaj pou tout moun k'ap viv sou latè.
12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
Bon konprann pwoteje ou menm jan lajan ka fè l'. Men, avantaj yon moun genyen lè li gen konesans avèk bon konprann, sa l' konnen an ap fè l' viv.
13 Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?
Gade travay Bondye! Ki moun ki ka drese sa Bondye kwochi?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
Lè bagay ap mache byen pou ou, fè kè ou kontan. Lè malè tonbe sou ou, chonje ni yonn ni lòt se nan Bondye sa soti. Konsa, yon moun pa janm konnen sa k'ap vin apre l'.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.
Lavi n' sou latè pa vo anyen, se vre! Men mwen wè tout kalite bagay: Mwen wè moun debyen, atout yo mache dwat la, mouri mouri yo. Mwen wè mechan yo menm ap viv lontan pou fè mechanste.
16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Pa chache twò bon, ni gen twòp lespri. Sa ou bezwen touye tèt ou fè?
17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Men, pa twò mechan ni pa twò sòt. Poukisa pou ou ta mouri anvan lè ou?
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of the one; yea, also from the other withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God shall discharge himself of them all.
Evite fè eksè ni nan yon sans ni nan yon lòt. Si ou gen krentif pou Bondye, ou p'ap tonbe nan fè eksè.
19 Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
Sa konesans fè pou yon moun, dis grannèg pa ka fè l' pou yon lavil.
20 For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Pa gen moun k'ap mache dwat sou latè ki ka di tou sa l'ap fè byen, li pa janm fè sa ki mal.
21 Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
Pa koute tou sa moun ap di. Konsa ou p'ap tande lè domestik ou ap pale ou mal.
22 for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Paske ou menm tou, nan kè ou, ou konnen konbe fwa ou pale moun mal.
23 All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.
Mwen sèvi avèk bon konprann mwen pou m' fè tout esperyans sa yo nan lavi. Mwen di mwen ta renmen gen bon konprann. Men, mwen pa t' janm rive genyen l'.
24 That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
Lavi se yon mistè. Li tankou yon twou san fon. Ki moun ki ka rive konprann li?
25 I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;
Men, mwen pran san m' pou m' chache konnen, pou m' egzaminen tout bagay. Mwen te soti pou m' te konprann, pou m' te jwenn repons pou tout keksyon mwen t'ap poze tèt mwen, pou m' te rive konnen jan moun mechan yo pèdi tèt yo, jan moun sòt yo egare.
26 and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Mwen jwenn yon bagay ki pi rèd pase lanmò. Se fanm. Lè yo di yo renmen ou, se pèlen yo pare pou ou. Lè yo pase bra yo nan kou ou, se chenn yo pase nan kou ou. Yon moun ki fè Bondye plezi va chape anba men yo. Men, moun k'ap fè sa ki mal ap tonbe anba grif yo.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, adding one thing to another, to find out the account;
Wi, men sa mwen menm filozòf la, mwen di: Antan m'ap chache konprann, lè mwen mete tou sa m' konnen yonn sou lòt, bout pou bout men sa mwen rive jwenn.
28 which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
M'ap chache yon lòt esplikasyon. Men mwen pa jwenn li. Sou mil gason mwen kontre, se yon sèl mwen jwenn ki gen konprann. Men pou fanm, mwen pa jwenn yonn menm.
29 Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Men sa ase mwen jwenn: Bondye kreye moun pou yo viv san pwoblèm, li mete yon chemen tou dwat devan yo, men se yo menm ki chache traka bay tèt yo.
