Eklezyas 7
1 Yon bon non pi bon pase yon pomad swa, e jou mouri pi bon pase jou nou te ne a.
A good reputation is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
2 Li pi bon pou ale nan kay k ap fè dèy pase nan kay k ap fè fèt; paske se konsa ke chak moun va fini, e sila ki vivan an pran sa a kè.
It's better to go to a funeral than to a party. In the end, everyone dies, and those who are still alive should think about it.
3 Tristès pi bon pase ri; paske lè figi moun nan tris, kè la vin pi bon.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for tragedy helps us by making us think.
4 Panse a saj la anndan lakay k ap fè dèy; men panse a san konprann nan kay plezi.
Wise people think about the impact of death, while those who are fools only think about having a good time.
5 Li pi bon pou koute repwòch a yon nonm saj pase pou yon moun ta koute chanson a moun san konprann yo.
It's better to listen to criticism from a wise person than to hear the song of fools.
6 Paske tankou bwa pikan sèch pete nan dife; se konsa lè yon nonm ensanse ap ri; epi sa anplis se vanite.
The laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorn twigs burning under a pot—without sense and quickly over.
7 Paske chantay ka fè yon nonm saj vin fou, e lajan anba tab fè kè vin konwonpi.
Extorting money from others makes wise people into fools, and accepting bribes corrupts the mind.
8 Lè yon bagay fin fèt, li pi bon pase lè l te kòmanse a. Pasyans nan lespri pi bon pase awogans lespri a.
Completing something is better than starting it. Being patient is better than being proud.
9 Pa chofè kè ou pou vin fache; paske fache rete nan kè a moun ensanse.
Don't be quick to get angry, for anger controls the minds of fools.
10 Pa di: “Poukisa jou lontan yo te pi bon pase jodi a”? Paske nanpwen sajès nan kesyon sa a.
Don't ask, “Why were the good old days better than now?” Asking such questions shows you are not wise.
11 Sajès ansanm ak eritaj bon, e se yon avantaj pou sila ki konn wè solèy yo.
Wisdom is good—it's like receiving an inheritance. It benefits everyone in life.
12 Paske sajès se yon pwotèj, menm ke lajan se yon pwotèj la; men avantaj a bon konprann nan se ke sajès va prezève lavi a sila ki genyen l.
For wisdom provides security, as does money, but the advantage for those who have wisdom is that they are kept safe and sound!
13 Konsidere zèv Bondye yo, paske se kilès ki ka drese sa ke Li menm te koube?
Think about what God does. If he makes something bent, you can't straighten it!
14 Nan jou bonè yo fè kè kontan; men nan jou malè yo, reflechi—Bondye te fè tou de pou lòm pa dekouvri anyen nan sa k ap swiv li.
On a good day, be happy. When a bad day comes, stop and think. God made each day, so you don't know what will happen to you next.
15 Mwen te wè tout bagay pandan tout jou vanite mwen yo; gen yon nonm dwat ki mouri nan ladwati, ak yon nonm mechan ki fè vi li long ak mechanste li a.
Throughout my life I've seen so much that is hard to understand. Good people who die young despite doing what is right, and wicked people who live long evil lives.
16 Pa fè eksè nan ladwati, ni pa vin twò saj. Poukisa ou ta detwi pwòp tèt ou?
Don't think you can make yourself right by a lot of religious observance, and don't pretend to be so wise. Do you want to destroy yourself?
17 Pa fè eksè nan mechanste, ni pa vin ensanse. Poukisa ou ta vle mouri avan lè ou?
On the other hand, don't decide to live an evil life—don't be a fool! Why die before your time?
18 Li bon pou ou ta kenbe pran yon bagay san ou pa lage lòt la; paske sila ki gen lakrent Bondye a ap vini ak tou de.
You ought to keep in mind these warnings. Those who follow God will be sure to avoid both.
19 Sajès ranfòse yon nonm saj plis pase dis gwo chèf ki nan yon vil.
Wisdom gives a wise person greater power than ten town councilors.
20 Anverite, nanpwen yon moun dwat sou latè ki fè sa ki bon tout tan, e ki pa janm peche.
There's not one good person in all the world who always does what is right and never sins.
21 Anplis, pa pran a kè tout pawòl ki pale, sof ke ou ta tande sèvitè ou lè l ap bay ou madichon.
Don't take to heart everything that people say, otherwise you may hear your servant talking badly about you,
22 Paske ou vin konprann ke ou menm tou anpil fwa konn bay moun madichon.
for you know how many times you yourself have talked badly about others!
23 Mwen te tante fè tout sa ak sajès e mwen te di: “Mwen va saj”, men sa te chape lwen mwen.
I have examined all this using the principles of wisdom. I told myself, “I will think wisely.” But wisdom eluded me.
24 Sa ki te konn egziste vin lwen, e se yon mistè menm. Se kilès ki ka dekouvri li?
Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?
25 Mwen te dirije panse m pou konnen; pou fè ankèt e chache sajès avèk rezon, e pou konnen mechanste se foli; e foli menm rive fè moun fou.
I turned my thoughts to discover, investigate, and to find out more about wisdom and what makes sense. I wanted to know more about how stupid evil really is, and how ridiculous it is to be a fool.
26 Epi mwen te dekouvri pi anmè pase mouri, kè a fanm ki fè pèlen an. Men li yo se tankou chenn. Yon moun ki plè Bondye va chape anba men l, men pechè a va vin kaptire anba l.
I discovered something more horrible than death: foolishness like a woman who tries to entrap you, who wants to use her mind and hands to catch you and tie you up. Those who follow God will not be caught, but sinners will fall into her trap.
27 “Gade byen, se sa mwen dekouvri,” predikatè a di: “Ajoute yon bagay a yon lòt pou twouve konprann.”
This is what I discovered after putting two and two together to try and find out what it all meant, says the Teacher.
28 Sou sila m toujou ap chache a, men m poko jwenn; mwen te twouve yon nonm pami mil, men mwen pa t jwenn fanm pami tout sa yo.
Although I really searched, I didn't find what I was looking for. People say, “I found one man among a thousand, but not one woman.”
29 Men gade, se sèl sa mwen dekouvri; Bondye te fè lòm kanpe dwat, men yo chache anpil manèv pou vin koube.
But I did find this one thing: God made people to do what's right, but they have followed their own ideas.
