Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
Gen yon lè apwente pou tout bagay. Epi gen yon tan pou chak sa ki rive anba syèl la—
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Yon tan pou ne, yon tan pou mouri; yon tan pou plante, ak yon tan pou dechouke sa ki plante a.
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
Yon tan pou touye e yon tan pou geri; yon tan pou demoli e yon tan pou bati.
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Yon tan pou kriye e yon tan pou ri; yon tan pou fè dèy e yon tan pou danse.
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Yon tan pou voye wòch e yon tan pou ranmase wòch; yon tan pou anbrase e yon tan pou evite anbrase.
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Yon tan pou chache e yon tan pou pèdi. Yon tan pou konsève, e yon tan pou jete.
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
Yon tan pou chire e yon tan pou koude; yon tan pou rete an silans e yon tan pou pale.
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Yon tan pou fè lanmou e yon tan pou rayisman; yon tan pou fè lagè e yon tan pou fè lapè.
9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
Ki avantaj ouvriye a genyen nan tout efò ke li fè yo?
10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
Mwen te wè tach ke Bondye te bay a fis a lòm yo, avèk sila yo okipe tèt yo.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
Li te fè tout bagay bon nan tan li. Anplis, Li te mete letènite nan kè yo, pou ke lòm pa ka fin konprann travay Bondye te fè a soti nan kòmansman jis rive nan lafen.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
Mwen konnen ke pa gen pi bon bagay pou yo ta fè pase rejwi e fè byen pandan yo gen lavi a.
13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
Anplis, pou tout moun ki manje ak bwè yo wè bonte Bondye nan tout travay li yo—se don Bondye sa ye.
14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
Mwen konnen ke tout sa Bondye fè va dire pou tout tan. Nanpwen anyen pou mete sou li e nanpwen anyen pou retire sou li, paske Bondye te tèlman travay pou lòm ta gen lakrent Li.
15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
Sa ki egziste, te la deja e sa ki va ye, te ye deja. Konsa, Bondye chache jwenn sa ki fin pase.
16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
Anplis, mwen te wè anba solèy la ke nan plas lajistis gen mechanste; e nan plas ladwati gen mechanste.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
Mwen te di a pwòp tèt mwen: “Bondye va jije ni sila ki dwat la, ni sila ki mechan an,” paske gen yon tan pou chak zèv ak chak bagay.
18 I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
Mwen te di pwòp tèt mwen selon fis a lòm yo: “Anverite, Bondye te fè yo pase a leprèv pou yo ta wè ke se tankou bèt ke yo ye.”
19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
Paske desten a fis a lòm yo ak desten a bèt yo se menm. Tankou youn mouri, konsa lòt la mouri. Anverite, yo tout gen menm souf la, e nanpwen avantaj pou lòm sou bèt yo, paske tout se vanite.
20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Tout ale menm kote. Tout te sòti nan pousyè a, e tout ap retounen nan pousyè a.
21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
Se kilès ki ka konnen ke souf a lòm monte anwo e souf a bèt yo desann anba tè?
22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
Mwen te wè ke nanpwen anyen ki pi bon pou lòm ta fè pase fè kè kontan nan tout sa li fè, paske se konsa sò a tonbe pou li. Paske se kilès ki ka fè l wè sa ki va vin rive apre li?
