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.
Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.
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.
Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
3 Paske rèv la vin akonpli ak anpil travay; e vwa a yon moun ensanse, ak anpil pawòl.
For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech 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 you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
5 Li pi bon pou pa fè ve pase fè yon ve pou pa peye l.
It is better that you should not vow, than that you should 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?
Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your 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 there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear 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 you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.
9 Apre tout bagay, yon wa ki kiltive latè se yon avantaj pou peyi a.
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.
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 who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also 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 goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them 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.
The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow 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 grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
14 Lè richès sa yo te pèdi akoz yon move envestiman, e li vin papa a yon fis; alò, nanpwen anyen pou ba li.
Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing 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 out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
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?
This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
17 Pandan tout lavi li, li manje nan tenèb ak gwo chagren, maladi ak kòlè.
All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.
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, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has 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.
Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—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.
For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.
