Ecclésiaste 6
1 Il y a un mal que j’ai vu sous le soleil, et qui est fréquent parmi les hommes:
There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.
2 il y a tel homme à qui Dieu donne de la richesse, et des biens, et de l’honneur, et il ne manque rien à son âme de tout ce qu’il désire; et Dieu ne lui a pas donné le pouvoir d’en manger, car un étranger s’en repaît. Cela est une vanité et un mal douloureux.
It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.
3 Si un homme engendre 100 [fils], et qu’il vive beaucoup d’années, et que les jours de ses années soient en grand nombre, et que son âme ne soit pas rassasiée de bien, et aussi qu’il n’ait pas de sépulture, je dis que mieux vaut un avorton que lui;
If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.
4 car celui-ci vient dans la vanité, et il s’en va dans les ténèbres, et son nom est couvert de ténèbres;
For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.
5 et aussi il n’a pas vu et n’a pas connu le soleil: celui-ci a plus de repos que celui-là.
He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.
6 Et s’il vivait deux fois 1 000 ans, il n’aura pas vu le bonheur: tous ne vont-ils pas en un même lieu?
Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?
7 Tout le travail de l’homme est pour sa bouche, et cependant son désir n’est pas satisfait.
Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.
8 Car quel avantage le sage a-t-il sur le sot? Quel [avantage] a l’affligé qui sait marcher devant les vivants?
What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?
9 Mieux vaut la vue des yeux que le mouvement du désir. Cela aussi est vanité et poursuite du vent.
It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.
10 Ce qui existe a déjà été appelé de son nom; et on sait ce qu’est l’homme, et qu’il ne peut contester avec celui qui est plus fort que lui.
Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.
11 Car il y a beaucoup de choses qui multiplient la vanité: quel avantage en a l’homme?
There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.
12 Car qui sait ce qui est bon pour l’homme dans la vie, tous les jours de la vie de sa vanité, qu’il passe comme une ombre? Et qui déclarera à l’homme ce qui sera après lui sous le soleil?
Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?
