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.
Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.
2 Pou sa, mwen te felisite tout sila ki fin mouri deja yo, olye sila k ap viv yo.
So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;
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.
and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was 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.
Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
5 Moun ensanse a pliye men l e manje pwòp chè li.
The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.
6 Yon men plen repo se miyò ke de ponyèt plen travay k ap fè kòve dèyè van an.
Better a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.
7 Konsa mwen te gade ankò sou vanite anba solèy la.
Then again, I, looked at a vain thing 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.
Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
9 De moun pi bon pase yon sèl, paske y ap jwenn bon benefis pou travay yo.
Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.
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.
For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!
11 Anplis, si de moun kouche ansanm, youn chofe lòt; men ki jan yon sèl moun ta ka chofe?
Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?
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, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.
13 Yon jennjan ki malere men ki gen sajès, miyò pase yon ansyen wa ki ensanse, e ki pa konn resevwa konsèy.
Better a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.
14 Paske li te sòti nan prizon pou vin wa, malgre li te fèt malere nan wayòm li an.
For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.
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, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place: —
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 to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
