Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Men pawòl pitit David la, filozòf la, ki te wa nan lavil Jerizalèm.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
Nan lavi a anyen pa vo anyen. Se sa filozòf la di. Non, anyen pa vo anyen nan lavi a. Tout bagay gen pou pase.
3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
Yon moun te mèt pase tout lavi l' ap travay di, ap bay kò l' traka sou latè beni, kisa sa rapòte l'?
4 One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
Moun fèt, moun mouri. Men sa pa deranje anyen sou latè.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
Solèy leve, solèy kouche. L'ap kouri tounen kote pou l' leve a ankò.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
Van an soufle soti nan nò desann nan sid. Apre sa, li vire soti nan sid moute nan nò. Konsa, l'ap vire tounen nan menm chemen an san rete.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
Tout dlo larivyè desann nan lanmè, men lanmè pa janm plen. Dlo a tounen kote larivyè a te soti a. Konsa, larivyè a pa janm sispann koule.
8 All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Tout bagay ap vire won san rete. Pa gen pawòl ki ka di jan sa ye. Je pa janm bouke wè. Zòrèy pa janm bouke tande.
9 That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
Sa ki te rive anvan, se sa ki va rive apre. Sa yo te fè anvan an, se sa y'ap toujou fè. Pa gen anyen ki chanje sou latè beni.
10 Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
Menm lè nou di: Gade! Men yon bagay ki nèf, bagay la te la deja depi nan tan lontan anvan nou te fèt.
11 There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
Pesonn pa chonje sa ki te pase nan tan lontan. Konsa tou, pita, pesonn p'ap chonje sa k'ap pase koulye a.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mwen menm, nèg fò, mwen te wa peyi Izrayèl nan lavil Jerizalèm.
13 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
Mwen te soti pou m' te fouye, pou m' te egzaminen tou sa k'ap fèt sou latè nan tout ti detay yo. Travay Bondye bay moun fè sou latè a pa manke rèd.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Mwen wè tou sa k'ap fèt sou latè. Anyen pa vo anyen! Anyen pa rapòte anyen.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is lacking cannot be counted.
Ou pa ka drese sa ki fin kwochi. Ou pa ka konte sa ou pa genyen.
16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
Mwen di nan kè mwen: Mwen vin grannèg. Mwen vin pi fò pase tout wa ki t'ap gouvènen lavil Jerizalèm anvan m' yo. Mwen konnen sa ki rele gen konprann ak konesans.
17 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
Mwen te soti pou m' te konnen diferans ki genyen ant moun ki gen konprann ak moun egare, ant moun ki gen konesans ak moun sòt. Men, la ankò, mwen wè anyen pa rapòte anyen.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Paske plis ou gen konprann, se plis ou nan tèt chaje. Plis ou konnen, se plis ou soufri.
