Eklezyas 11
1 Voye pen ou sou sifas dlo, e apre anpil jou, ou va twouve l.
Cast your bread on the waters: for you shall find it after many days.
2 Divize byen ou fè sèt, oswa uit menm; paske ou pa janm konnen ki malè k ap rive sou latè.
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil shall be on the earth.
3 Si nwaj yo plen, yo vide lapli sou latè; epi si yon bwa tonbe vè sid, oswa vè nò, kote li tonbe a, se la l ap kouche.
If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be.
4 Sila ke veye van an p ap simen; ni sila ki veye syèl la p ap rekòlte.
He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.
5 Menm jan ke ou pa konnen chemen van an, ni jan zo yo vin fòme nan vant a fanm ansent lan, se konsa ou pa konnen zèv Bondye ki fè tout bagay la.
As you know not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all.
6 Simen semans ou nan maten an; ni pa gaspiye tan nan aswè. Paske ou pa janm konnen si se nan maten oswa nan aswè semans lan ap reyisi; ni si se pa tou de k ap bon.
In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand: for you know not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
7 Limyè a byen bèl, e li bon pou zye wè solèy la.
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
8 Anverite, si yon nonm ta viv anpil ane, kite li rejwi li nan yo tout; men pa kite l bliye jou tenèb yo, paske yo va anpil. Tout sa ki gen pou vini se vanite.
But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.
9 Rejwi jennonm, pandan jenès ou, e kite kè ou rete kontan pandan ane de laj jenès ou yo. Swiv sa ki atire kè ou ak dezi a zye ou, men konnen byen ke Bondye va rele ou nan jijman pou tout bagay sa yo.
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes: but know you, that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10 Pou sa, retire gwo doulè ak mechanste pou l pa nan kè ou, e fè mal rete lwen chè ou; paske jenès ak ane jenès yo va disparèt vit.
Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
