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 name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
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 is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
3 Tristès pi bon pase ri; paske lè figi moun nan tris, kè la vin pi bon.
Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 Panse a saj la anndan lakay k ap fè dèy; men panse a san konprann nan kay plezi.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
5 Li pi bon pou koute repwòch a yon nonm saj pase pou yon moun ta koute chanson a moun san konprann yo.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should 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.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
7 Paske chantay ka fè yon nonm saj vin fou, e lajan anba tab fè kè vin konwonpi.
For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
8 Lè yon bagay fin fèt, li pi bon pase lè l te kòmanse a. Pasyans nan lespri pi bon pase awogans lespri a.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9 Pa chofè kè ou pou vin fache; paske fache rete nan kè a moun ensanse.
Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
10 Pa di: “Poukisa jou lontan yo te pi bon pase jodi a”? Paske nanpwen sajès nan kesyon sa a.
Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
11 Sajès ansanm ak eritaj bon, e se yon avantaj pou sila ki konn wè solèy yo.
Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
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 under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
13 Konsidere zèv Bondye yo, paske se kilès ki ka drese sa ke Li menm te koube?
Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
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 the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
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.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
16 Pa fè eksè nan ladwati, ni pa vin twò saj. Poukisa ou ta detwi pwòp tèt ou?
Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Pa fè eksè nan mechanste, ni pa vin ensanse. Poukisa ou ta vle mouri avan lè ou?
Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy 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.
It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
19 Sajès ranfòse yon nonm saj plis pase dis gwo chèf ki nan yon vil.
Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
20 Anverite, nanpwen yon moun dwat sou latè ki fè sa ki bon tout tan, e ki pa janm peche.
For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
21 Anplis, pa pran a kè tout pawòl ki pale, sof ke ou ta tande sèvitè ou lè l ap bay ou madichon.
Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
22 Paske ou vin konprann ke ou menm tou anpil fwa konn bay moun madichon.
For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
23 Mwen te tante fè tout sa ak sajès e mwen te di: “Mwen va saj”, men sa te chape lwen mwen.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Sa ki te konn egziste vin lwen, e se yon mistè menm. Se kilès ki ka dekouvri li?
Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
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.
Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
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.
And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
27 “Gade byen, se sa mwen dekouvri,” predikatè a di: “Ajoute yon bagay a yon lòt pou twouve konprann.”
Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
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.
What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
29 Men gade, se sèl sa mwen dekouvri; Bondye te fè lòm kanpe dwat, men yo chache anpil manèv pou vin koube.
Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
