Eklezyas 9
1 Paske, tout sa mwen te pote kon fado nan kè m pou eksplike li; ke moun dwat yo, moun saj yo, avèk tout zèv yo nan men Bondye. Lòm pa konnen si se lanmou, oswa rayisman; nenpòt bagay kapab tann li.
I have drawn all these things through my heart, so that I might carefully understand. There are just men as well as wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. And yet a man does not know so much as whether he is worthy of love or of hatred.
2 Se menm bagay la pou tout moun. Gen yon sèl desten pou moun dwat yo ak mechan yo; pou bon an, pou moun san tach la, ak pou enpi a; pou sila ki ofri sakrifis ak sila ki pa ofri sakrifis la. Tankou sila ki dwat ak pechè a menm jan; tankou sila ki fè sèman an, se konsa sila ki refize sèmante a ye.
But all things in the future remain uncertain, because all things happen equally to the just and to the impious, to the good and to the bad, to the pure and to the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and to those who despise sacrifices. As the good are, so also are sinners. As those who commit perjury are, so also are those who swear to the truth.
3 Men yon mal nan tout sa ki konn fèt anba solèy la, ke gen menm desten an pou tout moun. Anplis, kè a fis a lòm yo plen mechanste, e foli rete nan kè yo pandan tout lavi yo. Apre, yo ale kote mò yo.
This is a very great burden among all things that are done under the sun: that the same things happen to everyone. And when the hearts of the sons of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lives, afterwards they shall be dragged down to hell. (questioned)
4 Paske, nenpòt moun ki jwenn ansanm ak lòt vivan yo gen espwa; anverite, yon chen vivan pi bon pase yon lyon ki mouri.
There is no one who lives forever, or who even has confidence in this regard. A living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 Paske vivan yo konnen ke y ap mouri; men mò yo pa konnen anyen; ni yo pa jwenn rekonpans ankò, paske memwa yo fin bliye nèt.
For the living know that they themselves will die, yet truly the dead know nothing anymore, nor do they have any recompense. For the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Anverite, lanmou yo, rayisman yo, ak fòs kouraj yo deja fin mouri, e yo pa gen pati ankò nan tout sa ki fèt anba solèy la.
Likewise, love and hatred and envy have all perished together, nor have they any place in this age and in the work which is done under the sun.
7 Ale manje pen ou ak kè kontan e bwè diven ak kè plen ak jwa; paske Bondye deja pran plezi nan sa ou fè a.
So then, go and eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with gladness. For your works are pleasing to God.
8 Kite tout vètman ou yo rete blan tout tan, e pa kite lwil la manke sou tèt ou.
Let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be absent from your head.
9 Fè rejwisans lavi ou ak fanm ke ou renmen pandan tout jou kout lavi ou ke Li te bay ou anba solèy la. Paske sa se rekonpans ou nan lavi ak nan travay di ou konn fè anba solèy la.
Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your uncertain life which have been given to you under the sun, during all the time of your vanity. For this is your portion in life and in your labor, with which you labor under the sun.
10 Nenpòt sa ke men ou jwenn pou fè, fè l ak tout kouraj ou. Paske pa gen aktivite, ni plan, ni konesans, ni sajès nan Sejou mò kote ou prale a. (Sheol h7585)
Whatever your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying. (Sheol h7585)
11 Anplis, mwen te wè anba solèy la ke kous la pa pou moun ki rapid la, ni batay la pa pou gwo gèrye yo, ni pen pou saj la, ni richès a sila ki byen konprann nan, ni favè a moun abil; paske tan avèk jan tout bagay dewoule vin genyen yo tout.
I turned myself toward another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the learned, nor grace to the skillful: but there is a time and an end for all these things.
12 Anplis, lòm pa konnen lè li tankou pwason ki kenbe nan yon filè mechan an, o zwazo ki kenbe nan pèlen an. Se konsa fis a lòm yo sezi nan yon move moman. Epi lanmò an tonbe sou yo sibitman.
Man does not know his own end. But, just as fish are caught with a hook, and birds are captured with a snare, so are men seized in the evil time, when it will suddenly overwhelm them.
13 Sa osi, mwen te vin konprann kon sajès anba solèy la, e li te etone panse m.
This wisdom, likewise, I have seen under the sun, and I have examined it intensely.
14 Te gen yon ti vil ak kèk grenn moun ladann. Yon gran wa te parèt sou li, te antoure li, e te konstwi zam syèj kont li.
There was a small city, with a few men in it. There came against it a great king, who surrounded it, and built fortifications all around it, and the blockade was completed.
15 Men te twouve ladann yon malere byen saj; li te delivre vil la avèk sajès li. Men pa t gen pèsòn ki te sonje moun malere sila a.
And there was found within it, a poor and wise man, and he freed the city through his wisdom, and nothing was recorded afterward of that poor man.
16 Konsa mwen te di: “Sajès pi bon pase pwisans.” Men sajès a malere a meprize, e pou pawòl li, pèsòn pa tande yo.
And so, I declared that wisdom is better than strength. But how is it, then, that the wisdom of the poor man is treated with contempt, and his words are not heeded?
17 Pawòl a saj k ap koute lè tout bagay kalm pi bon pase vwa chèf k ap rele fò nan mitan moun ensanse.
The words of the wise are heard in silence, more so than the outcry of a prince among the foolish.
18 Sajès pi bon ke zam lagè; men yon sèl pechè detwi anpil ki bon.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war. And whoever offends in one thing, shall lose many good things.
