Eklezyas 10
1 Mouch mouri bay lwil pafen yon move odè; Se konsa yon ti kras foli gen pouvwa pou depase sajès ak respè.
Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
2 Kè a yon moun saj mennen li adwat, men kè a moun san konprann nan mennen l agoch.
The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
3 Menm lè ensanse a mache nan lari li manke bon tèt. Li montre tout moun ke se moun fou li ye.
Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
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 a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
5 Gen yon mal mwen konn wè anba solèy la, tankou yon fot ki sòti nan sila k ap gouvène a——
Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, —a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:
6 Foli plase nan anpil kote byen wo pandan rich yo chita kote ki ba.
Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
7 Mwen konn wè esklav ki monte sou cheval ak prens k ap mache atè tankou esklav.
I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
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, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
9 Sila ki taye wòch yo ka blese ladann, e sila ki fann gwo bout bwa a kapab an danje.
He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
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, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, —but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.
11 Si sèpan an mòde avan li vin chame, nanpwen pwofi.
If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
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 a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
13 Kòmansman diskou ensanse a se foli, e fen diskou li se plen mechanste ak betiz.
The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
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.
Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, —[though] no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which 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 toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
16 Malè a ou menm, O peyi ki gen jenn ti gason kon wa; ak prens yo k ap fè fèt granmaten.
Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
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.
How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, —and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.
18 Akoz parès ak neglijans, twati a vin pann, e nan enpridans kay la vin koule.
By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
19 Yon gwo tab manje fèt pou yo rejwi yo, diven pou fè kè kontan; epi lajan se repons pou tout bagay.
Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
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.
Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich, —for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
