Eklezyas 10
1 Mouch mouri gate tout boutèy odè. Yo fè l' santi. Konsa tou, yon sèl ti betiz ka fè tout gwo konesans ou pase pou anyen. Sa ka fè moun pa respekte ou ankò.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 Kè yon moun ki gen konprann toujou panche pou fè sa ki byen, men kè moun sòt toujou panche pou fè sa ki mal.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Menm lè moun sòt ap mache nan lari, li egare, li fè tout moun wè se moun sòt li ye.
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 Si chèf ou move sou ou, pa prese vire do ou ale. Si ou rete dousman, sa ka evite ou anpil malè.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 Men yon lòt move bagay mwen wè ankò sou latè, lèfini se chèf yo ki lakòz sa.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Yo pran moun sòt mete yo nan gwo pozisyon, epi yo kite moun ki chaje ak konesans anba.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 Mwen wè esklav ap karakole sou chwal yo, epi chèf yo menm k'ap mache apye tankou esklav.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Si ou fouye yon pi, se ou menm ki va tonbe ladan l'. Si ou kraze yon miray, se ou menm sèpan va mòde.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Si w'ap koupe wòch karyann, w'a blese. Si w'ap fann bwa, malè ka rive ou.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 Si dan rach ou pa koupe, si ou pa file l', ou gen pou travay pi rèd lè w'ap sèvi avè l'. Men bon konprann ap fè ou reyisi nan sa w'ap fè.
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Ou te mèt konn chame sèpan, sa p'ap sèvi ou anyen si ou kite l' gen tan mòde ou.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Pawòl ki soti nan bouch yon moun ki gen konprann sèvi yon lwanj pou li. Men pawòl nan bouch moun sòt ap lakòz lanmò yo.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 Lè yo konmanse pale, se betiz y'ap di. Men lè y'ap fini, se pawòl moun fou nèt y'ap di.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 Moun sòt renmen pale anpil. Pesonn pa konnen sa k'ap rive denmen. Pesonn pa ka di nou sa k'ap rive apre nou mouri.
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 Moun sòt touye tèt li nan travay, li bliye chimen kay li.
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Ala malè pou yon peyi lè li gen yon timoun alatèt li, lè chèf li yo tonbe nan manje depi granmaten.
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Men, ala bon sa bon pou yon peyi lè wa a se moun ki soti nan bon ras, lè chèf li yo manje lè pou yo manje pou yo ka jwenn fòs, epi ki pa lage kò yo nan banbòch.
Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 Lè yon moun twò parese pou l' repare kay li, twati a ap koule, fetay la ap tonbe.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Yo fè resepsyon pou yo pran plezi yo, yo bwè diven pou fè kè yo kontan, men se lajan ki penmèt yo fè tou sa.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Pa kritike yon wa, pa menm nan kè ou. Pa kritike rich yo, pa menm anndan chanm ou. Paske raje gen zòrèy.
Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
