Ecclesiastes 7
1 Better a name, 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 Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, —and, the living, should take it to his 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 Better is grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.
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 dullards, in the house of mirth.
Panse a saj la anndan lakay k ap fè dèy; men panse a san konprann nan kay plezi.
5 Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,
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 dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.
Paske tankou bwa pikan sèch pete nan dife; se konsa lè yon nonm ensanse ap ri; epi sa anplis se vanite.
7 For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.
Paske chantay ka fè yon nonm saj vin fou, e lajan anba tab fè kè vin konwonpi.
8 Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty 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 Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.
Pa chofè kè ou pou vin fache; paske fache rete nan kè a moun ensanse.
10 Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.
Pa di: “Poukisa jou lontan yo te pi bon pase jodi a”? Paske nanpwen sajès nan kesyon sa a.
11 Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as see the sun.
Sajès ansanm ak eritaj bon, e se yon avantaj pou sila ki konn wè solèy yo.
12 For, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, —but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.
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 straighten what he hath bent?
Konsidere zèv Bondye yo, paske se kilès ki ka drese sa ke Li menm te koube?
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, —Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out—after him—nothing.
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 Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, —Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in 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 Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?
Pa fè eksè nan ladwati, ni pa vin twò saj. Poukisa ou ta detwi pwòp tèt ou?
17 Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst 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 well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, —for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of 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, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.
Sajès ranfòse yon nonm saj plis pase dis gwo chèf ki nan yon vil.
20 For, as for men, there is none righteous in the 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 Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, —lest thou hear thine own servant reviling 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 truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.
Paske ou vin konprann ke ou menm tou anpil fwa konn bay moun madichon.
23 All this, have I proved by wisdom, —I said, I will be wise, but, that, 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 Far away, is that which hath been, —and deep, deep, who can find it out?
Sa ki te konn egziste vin lwen, e se yon mistè menm. Se kilès ki ka dekouvri li?
25 Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion, —and to know lawlessness [to be] stupidity, and folly 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 I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, —whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured 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, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;
“Gade byen, se sa mwen dekouvri,” predikatè a di: “Ajoute yon bagay a yon lòt pou twouve konprann.”
28 what my soul still sought, yet I found not, —one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, 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, have I 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.
