Eklezyas 4
1 Konsa, mwen te gade ankò sou tout zèv k ap oprime moun anba solèy la. Epi gade byen, mwen te wè dlo nan zye a oprime yo, e yo pa t jwenn pèsòn pou bay yo soulajman. Sou kote a sila ki t ap oprime yo, te gen gwo pouvwa; men, yo pa t jwenn pèsòn pou bay yo soulajman.
And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.
2 Pou sa, mwen te felisite tout sila ki fin mouri deja yo, olye sila k ap viv yo.
So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.
3 Men pi beni pase tou de nan yo se sila ki pa t janm egziste a, ki pa t wè tout mechanste ki konn fèt anba solèy la.
Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.
4 Mwen konn wè tout zèv ak tout metye ki konn fèt, fèt akoz lanvi antre yon nonm ak vwazen li. Sa anplis se vanite ak fè lachas dèyè van.
And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
5 Moun ensanse a pliye men l e manje pwòp chè li.
The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.
6 Yon men plen repo se miyò ke de ponyèt plen travay k ap fè kòve dèyè van an.
One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.
7 Konsa mwen te gade ankò sou vanite anba solèy la.
Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.
8 Te gen yon sèten mesye san fanmi ki pa t genyen ni fis, ni frè. Sepandan, nan travay li, pa t gen repo menm. Anverite, zye li pa t janm satisfè ak richès, men li pa t janm kon mande: “Epi pou ki moun m ap travay e prive tèt mwen de plezi konsa?” Sa, anplis se vanite, e sa se yon kòve ki plen doulè.
It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.
9 De moun pi bon pase yon sèl, paske y ap jwenn bon benefis pou travay yo.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.
10 Paske si youn nan yo ta tonbe, lòt la va leve pare li. Men malè a sila ki tonbe lè nanpwen lòt pou fè l leve a.
And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.
11 Anplis, si de moun kouche ansanm, youn chofe lòt; men ki jan yon sèl moun ta ka chofe?
So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?
12 Anplis, si youn ka venk sila ki sèl la, de ka reziste ak li; epi yon kòd fèt ak twa fil ap mal pou chire.
And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.
13 Yon jennjan ki malere men ki gen sajès, miyò pase yon ansyen wa ki ensanse, e ki pa konn resevwa konsèy.
A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.
14 Paske li te sòti nan prizon pou vin wa, malgre li te fèt malere nan wayòm li an.
Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.
15 Mwen te wè tout sa k ap viv anba solèy la kouri bò kote dezyèm jennjan ki ranplase li an.
I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.
16 Pèp la p ap janm fini; tout moun ki te avan yo, ni sila k ap vini pita yo p ap kontan avèk li. Anverite, sa osi se vanite ak kouri dèyè van.
There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
