Eklezyas 12
1 Pandan ou jenn gason an, pa janm bliye Bondye ki te kreye ou la, anvan jou malè yo rive sou ou, anvan lè a rive pou ou di: Mwen pa jwenn ankenn plezi nan lavi.
Remember, also, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
2 Lè sa a, limyè solèy la, lalin lan ak zetwal yo ap parèt twoub twoub devan je ou. Syèl la pa janm klè. Lapli poko fin tonbe, tan an gen tan mare ankò.
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars become dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 Lè sa a, bra ou yo ki te konn pwoteje ou ap tranble. Janm ou yo ki enganm koulye a ap febli. Ou p'ap gen dan pou kraze manje. Je ou yo ap twò fèb pou wè klè.
at the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened;
4 De twou zòrèy ou yo ap bouche, ou p'ap tande sa k'ap pase nan lari. Ata gwo bri moulen ki toupre ou la, w'a tande l' tou piti piti. Moun te mèt ap chante bò kote ou, w'ap tande vwa yo lwen lwen. Lè sa a, depi pipirit konmanse chante, nou gen tan leve.
when the doors are shut in the streets, while the sound of the mill is low; when they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low;
5 W'ap pè moute sou bagay ki twò wo pou ou pa gen tèt vire. Menm mache nan granchemen ap yon danje pou ou. Tout cheve nan tèt ou ap vin blan, w'ap pèdi fòs kouray ou. Pa gen anyen ki ka fè l' tounen ankò. W'ap desann nan dènye kay kote ou pral rete pou tou tan an. Lè sa a, moun ap mache rele nan tout lari.
when also they are afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, and the caper-berry is powerless; since man goeth to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; —
6 Wi, pa janm bliye Bondye ki fè ou la anvan ti chenn an ajan an detache sot tonbe, anvan bòl an lò a tonbe kraze, anvan kalbas dlo a kraze miyèt moso, anvan so a kase.
before the silver cord be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be crushed, or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the wheel shattered at the well,
7 Lè sa a, kò nou pral tounen pousyè latè jan l' te ye anvan an. Souf nou menm ap tounen jwenn Bondye ki te ban nou l' lan.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
8 Lavi pa vo anyen. Lavi pa sèvi anyen. Filozòf la di: Anyen pa vo anyen.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity!
9 Men, paske filozòf la te gen bon konprann, li pa janm sispann moutre pèp la tou sa li te konnen. Li egzaminen anpil pwovèb, li etidye yo, li pran san li pou li sanble yo.
Moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he considered, and sought out, and set in order, many proverbs.
10 Li pran san li pou li jwenn pawòl ki pou fè moun plezi. Men nan tou sa li ekri, li bay verite a jan li wè l' la.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and to write correctly words of truth.
11 Pawòl moun ki gen konprann tankou baton yo sèvi pou djige bèf kabwa. Liv pwovèb yo tankou yon seri klou yo kloure yonn kot lòt. Men se yon sèl mèt ki bay yo, se Bondye.
The words of the wise are as goads; yea, as nails driven in are the words of members of assemblies, given by one shepherd.
12 Pitit mwen, men sa pou ou fè: Pran leson sou bagay sa yo. Si pou yo ta ekri anpil liv, yo pa ta janm fini. Lè ou etidye twòp, sa fè kè ou fè ou mal.
And, moreover, by these, my son, be warned! To the multiplying of books there is no end, and much study wearieth the flesh.
13 Apre tout pawòl sa yo, se yon sèl bagay pou m' di nan sa: Gen krentif pou Bondye. Fè tou sa li mande ou fè yo. Se pou sa ase Bondye te kreye moun.
Let us hear the end of the whole discourse! Fear God and keep his commandments! For this is the duty of every man.
14 Paske Bondye ap jije tou sa n'ap fè, kit yo bon, kit yo pa bon, ata bagay nou fè an kachèt.
For God will bring every work into the judgment which there is upon every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
