Eklezyas 2
1 Mwen te di nan tèt mwen: “Vini koulye a, mwen va teste ou ak plezi. Pou sa, fè kè ou kontan.” Epi sa osi se te vanite.
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
2 Mwen te di de afè ri, “Sa se foli,” e de plezi, “Kisa l ap akonpli?”
I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3 Mwen te fè ankèt ak panse m kòman pou eksite kò m ak diven pandan panse m ap gide m ak sajès ak jan pou kenbe foli, jiskaske mwen ta kapab wè sa ki bon ki genyen pou fis a lòm yo fè anba syèl la pandan ti kras ane ke y ap viv yo.
I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
4 Mwen te agrandi zèv mwen yo. Mwen te bati kay pou mwen; mwen te plante chan rezen pou mwen.
I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
5 Mwen te fè jaden ak bèl plas pou tèt mwen e mwen te plante ladann yo tout kalite pye fwi.
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
6 Mwen te fè gwo basen dlo pou tèt mwen pou awoze yon forè bwa ki t ap grandi.
I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
7 Mwen te achte esklav, ni mal ni femèl e mwen te genyen ki te fèt lakay mwen. Anplis mwen te genyen bann mouton avèk twoupo pi gran pase tout wa ki te Jérusalem avan m yo.
I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
8 Anplis, mwen te ranmase ajan ak lò pou pwòp tèt mwen ansanm ak trezò a wa yo ak pwovens pa yo. Mwen te founi pou pwòp tèt mwen chantè, ni mal, ni femèl, e tout plezi a lòm yo—anpil konkibin.
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
9 Epi mwen te vin gran, pi gran pase tout wa ki te avan m Jérusalem yo. Konsa, sajès mwen te kanpe avè m.
So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
10 Tout sa ke zye m te anvi, mwen pa t refize yo. Mwen pa t refize kè m okenn plezi li te vle, paske kè m te kontan akoz tout zèv mwen yo, e sa se te rekonpans pou tout travay mwen yo.
Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 Konsa, mwen te konsidere tout zèv men m te konn fè yo, avèk travay ke m te fòse fè yo, men gade byen, tout te vanite ak kouri dèyè van, e pa t gen okenn avantaj anba solèy la.
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
12 Konsa mwen te vire konsidere sajès, afè moun ensanse menm ak foli; paske se kisa yon nonm ki swiv wa sila a ka fè, sinon sa ki te konn fèt deja?
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
13 Epi mwen te wè ke sajès toujou genyen sou vanite, tankou limyè genyen sou tenèb.
And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
14 Zye a mesye saj la anndan tèt li; men moun ensanse a mache nan tenèb. Sepandan, mwen konnen ke se menm desten ki va rive yo tou de.
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
15 Konsa, mwen rive di tèt mwen: “Kon desten a moun ensanse a, se konsa l ap rive m. Alò, poukisa mwen te fòse fè anpil sajès?” Alò, pou sa mwen te di tèt mwen: “Sa, anplis, se vanite.”
So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
16 Paske nanpwen okenn memwa k ap sonje nonm saj la, menm jan pou ensanse a, akoz nan tout jou k ap vini yo, tout moun va bliye yo nèt. Epi konsa, nonm saj la ak ensanse a mouri tou de!
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
17 Pou sa, mwen te rayi lavi, paske travay ki te fèt anba syèl la te yon doulè pou mwen; paske tout bagay se kòve ak kouri dèyè van.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
18 Konsa, mwen te rayi tout fwi a travay mwen yo, pou sila mwen te fè efò anba solèy la; paske mwen ap oblije kite li bay nonm nan k ap swiv mwen an.
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19 Epi se kilès ki konnen si li va saj, oswa moun fou? Malgre li va gen kontwòl sou tout fwi travay mwen. Pou sila mwen te fòse fè ak sajès yo, anba solèy la. Sa, anplis, se vanite.
And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
20 Pou sa, mwen te pèdi espwa nèt a tout fwi a zèv mwen pou sila mwen te travay anba solèy la.
So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
21 Kote ki genyen yon nonm ki te travay ak sajès, konesans ak kapasite, alò, li va kite eritaj li a yon moun ki pa t travay pou yo. Sa osi se vanite ak yon gwo mal.
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
22 Paske se kisa ke yon nonm jwenn pou tout travay li, nan efò ke li te fòse fè anba solèy la?
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
23 Paske tout jou li yo, travay li plen ak doulè ak chagren; menm nan lannwit tèt li pa jwenn repo. Sa tou, se vanite.
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
24 Nanpwen anyen pi bon pou yon nonm, ke manje, bwè, e di tèt li, ke travay li a bon. Sa a mwen konn wè tou, ke li sòti nan men Bondye.
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
25 Paske se kilès ki ka manje, e kilès ki ka jwenn plezi li plis pase m?
For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
26 Paske a yon nonm ki bon nan zye Bondye, Li te bay sajès, konesans ak lajwa; men a pechè a, Li te bay tach ranmase ak rasanble pou li kab bay a sila ki bon nan zye Bondye a. Sa anplis se vanite ak kouri dèyè van.
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
