Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking odour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
Mouch mouri bay lwil pafen yon move odè; Se konsa yon ti kras foli gen pouvwa pou depase sajès ak respè.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart is at his left.
Kè a yon moun saj mennen li adwat, men kè a moun san konprann nan mennen l agoch.
3 Also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
Menm lè ensanse a mache nan lari li manke bon tèt. Li montre tout moun ke se moun fou li ye.
4 If the spirit of the ruler riseth against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
Si kòlè a wa a vin monte kont ou, pa abandone pozisyon ou; paske rete kalm ka evite gwo ofans.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
Gen yon mal mwen konn wè anba solèy la, tankou yon fot ki sòti nan sila k ap gouvène a——
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
Foli plase nan anpil kote byen wo pandan rich yo chita kote ki ba.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Mwen konn wè esklav ki monte sou cheval ak prens k ap mache atè tankou esklav.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Sila ki fouye fè yon twou ka byen tonbe ladann, e yon sèpan ka mòde gèrye a ki kraze yon miray.
9 Whoever removeth stones shall be hurt by them; and he that cutteth wood shall be endangered by it.
Sila ki taye wòch yo ka blese ladann, e sila ki fann gwo bout bwa a kapab an danje.
10 If the iron is blunt, and he doth not whet the edge, then must he use more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Si rach la pa gen tay, e li pa file pwent li; alò, li va egzije plis fòs. Avantaj a sajès se reyisi!
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
Si sèpan an mòde avan li vin chame, nanpwen pwofi.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Pawòl ki soti nan bouch sila ki saj la plen ak gras, men pawòl a moun ensanse a fin manje l nèt;
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Kòmansman diskou ensanse a se foli, e fen diskou li se plen mechanste ak betiz.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
Malgre tout sa, moun ensanse a ogmante pawòl li yo. Pèsòn pa konnen sa ki va rive, e kilès kab di li sa ki va rive apre li.
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Zèv a moun ensanse a tèlman fatige l, ke li pa konnen kijan pou li rive nan vil la.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Malè a ou menm, O peyi ki gen jenn ti gason kon wa; ak prens yo k ap fè fèt granmaten.
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Beni se ou menm, O peyi ki gen yon fis byen prepare kon wa a ak prens ki manje nan pwòp lè yo, pou bay fòs, e non pou fè banbòch vin sou.
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
Akoz parès ak neglijans, twati a vin pann, e nan enpridans kay la vin koule.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Yon gwo tab manje fèt pou yo rejwi yo, diven pou fè kè kontan; epi lajan se repons pou tout bagay.
20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Anplis, nan chanm a kouche ou, pa bay wa a madichon; e nan chanm a kouche ou, pa bay yon moun rich madichon. Paske yon zwazo syèl la ka pote bri a, e sa ki gen zèl yo ka fè yo konnen bagay la.
