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.
Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little 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.
The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
3 Menm lè moun sòt ap mache nan lari, li egare, li fè tout moun wè se moun sòt li ye.
And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”
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 goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
5 Men yon lòt move bagay mwen wè ankò sou latè, lèfini se chèf yo ki lakòz sa.
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
6 Yo pran moun sòt mete yo nan gwo pozisyon, epi yo kite moun ki chaje ak konesans anba.
He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
7 Mwen wè esklav ap karakole sou chwal yo, epi chèf yo menm k'ap mache apye tankou esklav.
I have seen servants on 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.
Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
9 Si w'ap koupe wòch karyann, w'a blese. Si w'ap fann bwa, malè ka rive ou.
Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
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 iron has been blunt, And he has not sharpened the face, Then he increases strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
11 Ou te mèt konn chame sèpan, sa p'ap sèvi ou anyen si ou kite l' gen tan mòde ou.
If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
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.
Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool 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 latter end of his mouth [Is] 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.
And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
15 Moun sòt touye tèt li nan travay, li bliye chimen kay li.
The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known 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 land, when your king [is] a youth, 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, When your king [is] a son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
18 Lè yon moun twò parese pou l' repare kay li, twati a ap koule, fetay la ap tonbe.
By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
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.
For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
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 mind do not revile a king, And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declares the word.
