Eklezyas 12
1 Anplis, sonje Kreyatè ou a nan jou jenès ou yo, avan move jou yo rive e ane yo pwoche lè ou va di: “Mwen pa pran plezi nan yo;”
Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, or ever the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 Avan solèy la ak limyè a, lalin nan ak zetwal yo vin tounwa, e nwaj yo retounen apre lapli yo;
or ever the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain:
3 nan jou ke gadyen kay la tranble a, e mesye pwisan yo vin koube a. Lè sa yo k ap moule a rete san travay akoz anpil nan yo ki manke, e sila k ap gade nan fenèt yo vin mal pou wè.
in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4 Lè pòt vè lari yo vin fèmen akoz bri moulen an vin ba, e yon moun va leve ak son zwazo a, epi tout fi chanson yo va rete ba.
and the door shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
5 Anplis mesye yo va vin pè yon wo plas ak gwo danje k ap vini a. Lè pye zanmann nan fleri, krikèt volan rale kò l olon wout la, e dezi gason an pa ka. Paske lòm nan ap prale nan kay etènèl li a, pandan sila k ap fè dèy yo vire toupatou nan wout la.
yea, they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and terrors [shall be] in the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and the caper-berry shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Sonje Li avan kòd ajan an kase, e bòl an lò a kraze kivèt dlo la kote pwi a vin fann, e wou sitèn nan vin kraze.
or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern;
7 Paske konsa pousyè la va retounen nan tè a jan li te ye a, e lespri a va retounen kote Bondye ki te bay li a.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.
8 “Vanite sou vanite”, predikatè a di: “tout se vanite!”
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.
9 Anplis akoz li te yon nonm saj, predikatè a te enstwi pèp la ak konesans. Wi, li te reflechi, chache twouve, e te aranje anpil pwovèb.
And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10 Predikatè a te chache jwenn bèl mò pou ekri pawòl verite yo byen kòrèk.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, [even] words of truth.
11 Pawòl a moun saj yo tankou pwent pike bèt yo ye; tankou klou ki kloure nèt, se konsa ansanm a pawòl sila yo ye. Se yon sèl Bèje ki bay yo tout.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are [the words of] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.
12 Men anplis ke sa, fis mwen, veye byen: ekri anpil liv se yon bagay san rete, e anpil devosyon a liv yo va fatige kò ou.
And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Konklizyon lè tout bagay fin tande se: Gen lakrent Bondye e kenbe kòmandman li yo, akoz se sa ki aplike a tout moun.
[This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] of man.
14 Paske Bondye va pote tout zèv nan jijman; tout sa ki kache, kit li bon kit li mal.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
