Eklezyas 11
1 Voye pen ou sou sifas dlo, e apre anpil jou, ou va twouve l.
Cast thy bread upon the waters; for after many days thou shalt find it.
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, yea, to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon 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.
When the clouds are full of rain, they empty upon the earth; and when a tree falleth to the south or the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4 Sila ke veye van an p ap simen; ni sila ki veye syèl la p ap rekòlte.
He that watcheth the wind will not sow, and he that gazeth upon the clouds will 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 thou knowest not the way of the wind, nor how the bones are formed in the womb of her that is with child, so thou canst not know the work of God, who doeth all things.
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 thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand! For thou knowest not whether this shall prosper, or that, or whether both of them 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.
Yea, though a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him think of the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh 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 thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes! but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee 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 thy heart, and put away evil from thy body! for childhood and youth are vanity.
