Eklezyas 10
1 Mouch mouri bay lwil pafen yon move odè; Se konsa yon ti kras foli gen pouvwa pou depase sajès ak respè.
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
2 Kè a yon moun saj mennen li adwat, men kè a moun san konprann nan mennen l agoch.
The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
3 Menm lè ensanse a mache nan lari li manke bon tèt. Li montre tout moun ke se moun fou li ye.
Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
4 Si kòlè a wa a vin monte kont ou, pa abandone pozisyon ou; paske rete kalm ka evite gwo ofans.
If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
5 Gen yon mal mwen konn wè anba solèy la, tankou yon fot ki sòti nan sila k ap gouvène a——
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
6 Foli plase nan anpil kote byen wo pandan rich yo chita kote ki ba.
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
7 Mwen konn wè esklav ki monte sou cheval ak prens k ap mache atè tankou esklav.
I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
8 Sila ki fouye fè yon twou ka byen tonbe ladann, e yon sèpan ka mòde gèrye a ki kraze yon miray.
He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Sila ki taye wòch yo ka blese ladann, e sila ki fann gwo bout bwa a kapab an danje.
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
10 Si rach la pa gen tay, e li pa file pwent li; alò, li va egzije plis fòs. Avantaj a sajès se reyisi!
If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
11 Si sèpan an mòde avan li vin chame, nanpwen pwofi.
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
12 Pawòl ki soti nan bouch sila ki saj la plen ak gras, men pawòl a moun ensanse a fin manje l nèt;
The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
13 Kòmansman diskou ensanse a se foli, e fen diskou li se plen mechanste ak betiz.
The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
14 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.
A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Zèv a moun ensanse a tèlman fatige l, ke li pa konnen kijan pou li rive nan vil la.
The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
16 Malè a ou menm, O peyi ki gen jenn ti gason kon wa; ak prens yo k ap fè fèt granmaten.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
17 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.
Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
18 Akoz parès ak neglijans, twati a vin pann, e nan enpridans kay la vin koule.
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 Yon gwo tab manje fèt pou yo rejwi yo, diven pou fè kè kontan; epi lajan se repons pou tout bagay.
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
20 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.
Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
