Eklezyas 5
1 Veye pa ou yo pandan w ap desann lakay Bondye a, e vin toupre pou koute olye ofri sakrifis a moun ensanse yo. Paske yo pa konnen ke se mal y ap fè.
Watch thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be near to hearken [to his will], more than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that they do evil [to themselves].
2 Pa fè vit avèk pawòl ou, ni kouri twò vit pou soulve yon refleksyon devan prezans Bondye. Paske Bondye nan syèl la, e ou sou tè a; pou sa pa kite pawòl ou yo vin anpil.
Suffer not thy mouth to be rash, and let thy heart not be hasty to utter any word before God; for God is in the heavens, and thou art upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few.
3 Paske rèv la vin akonpli ak anpil travay; e vwa a yon moun ensanse, ak anpil pawòl.
For a dream cometh through being much employed [with something], and the voice of a fool cometh with a multitude of words.
4 Lè ou fè yon ve a Bondye, pa fè reta pou peye l; paske li pa pran plezi nan moun ki plen foli. Peye sa ou te pwomèt la!
When thou makest a vow unto God, do not delay to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in such fools: that which thou hast vowed must thou pay.
5 Li pi bon pou pa fè ve pase fè yon ve pou pa peye l.
It is better that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.
6 Pa kite pawòl ou yo fè ou fè peche, e pa di nan prezans a mesaje Bondye a ke ou te mal pale. Poukisa Bondye ta dwe vin fache akoz vwa ou, e detwi tout zèv men ou yo?
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy body to sin; and say thou not before the messenger, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry because of thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7 Paske nan fè anpil rèv ak nan anpil pawòl, gen yon gwo vid. Pito gen lakrent Bondye.
For in the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but rather fear thou God.
8 Si ou wè malere a vin oprime e pa gen lajistis nan pwovens yo, pa sezi lè ou wè l. Paske gen chèf sou chèf, e gen chèf pi wo sou yo.
If thou see the oppression of the poor, and violence done to justice and righteousness in a province, do not feel astounded at the matter; for one that is high watcheth over the high; and over them, the highest Power.
9 Apre tout bagay, yon wa ki kiltive latè se yon avantaj pou peyi a.
But the advantage of a land in all things is, a king who is subject to the country.
10 Sila ki renmen lajan an p ap satisfè ak lajan; ni sila ki renmen richès la ak sa li reyisi. Sa anplis se vanite.
He that loveth money will never be satisfied with money; nor he that loveth abundance, with any increase. Also this is vanity.
11 Lè bon bagay ogmante, sila ki manje yo ogmante. Konsa, pa gen lòt avantaj pou mèt yo, sof ke kanpe veye?
When prosperity increaseth, those that consume it [likewise] increase: and what advantage is there to its owner, saving to see [it] with his eyes?
12 Dòmi a ouvriye a dous, kit li manje piti oswa anpil; men vant plen a moun rich la p ap kite l dòmi.
Sweet is the sleep of the laboring man, whether he eat little or much; but the overabundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13 Gen yon gwo mechanste ke m konn wè anba solèy la: richès sere pa mèt li jiskaske li rive donmaje pwòp tèt li.
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, [namely, ] riches reserved for their owner to his own hurt.
14 Lè richès sa yo te pèdi akoz yon move envestiman, e li vin papa a yon fis; alò, nanpwen anyen pou ba li.
And these riches are lost through an unfortunate event; and he begetteth a son, and hath not the least in his hand:
15 Kon li soti nan vant manman li toutouni an; se konsa li va retounen jan li te sòti a. Li p ap pote anyen nan men l kon fwi travay li.
As he came forth out of his mother's womb, naked will he return to go as he came; and not the least will he carry off for his toil, which he might take away with him.
16 Sa anplis se yon gwo malè—menm jan yon nonm fèt la, se konsa l ap mouri. Alò, kote avantaj pou sila k ap travay di nan van an?
And also this is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so must he go: and what profit hath he that hath toiled for the wind?
17 Pandan tout lavi li, li manje nan tenèb ak gwo chagren, maladi ak kòlè.
All his days also had he to eat in darkness, and hath had much vexation and wrath with his sickness.
18 Men sa mwen konn wè ki bon e ki pwòp pou moun fè a: manje, bwè e fè kè kontan nan tout travay ke li fè anba solèy la, pandan ti tan kout ke Bondye ba li a. Paske se sa ki rekonpans li.
Behold, what I have truly seen as a good thing, that it is fitting to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all one's toil that he taketh under the sun the number of the days of his life, which God hath given him; for this is his portion.
19 Anplis, menm jan pou tout moun ke Bondye te bay richès ak byen yo, anplis Li te bay li kapasite pou manje ladann yo e rejwi nan travay li. Sa se don Bondye a.
Also every man to whom God hath given riches and property, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his toil— this is the gift of God.
20 Konsa, se pa souvan ke moun nan va konsidere ane lavi li yo, paske Bondye kenbe l okipe tout tan ak rejwisans kè li.
Let him then remember, that the days of his life are not many, that God hath answered him with the joy of his heart.
