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 I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [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.
And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
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 better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been 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 have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 Moun ensanse a pliye men l e manje pwòp chè li.
The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
6 Yon men plen repo se miyò ke de ponyèt plen travay k ap fè kòve dèyè van an.
'Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'
7 Konsa mwen te gade ankò sou vanite anba solèy la.
And I have turned, and I see 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.
There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.
9 De moun pi bon pase yon sèl, paske y ap jwenn bon benefis pou travay yo.
The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour.
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 they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!
11 Anplis, si de moun kouche ansanm, youn chofe lòt; men ki jan yon sèl moun ta ka chofe?
Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how hath one heat?
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 if the one strengthen himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not hastily broken.
13 Yon jennjan ki malere men ki gen sajès, miyò pase yon ansyen wa ki ensanse, e ki pa konn resevwa konsèy.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who hath not known to be warned any more.
14 Paske li te sòti nan prizon pou vin wa, malgre li te fèt malere nan wayòm li an.
For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.
15 Mwen te wè tout sa k ap viv anba solèy la kouri bò kote dezyèm jennjan ki ranplase li an.
I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who doth stand in his 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 is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter rejoice not in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
