Ecclesiastes 1
1 Pa inge kas lun sie Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet, wen natul David, su tuh tokosra in Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet el fahk lah ma nukewa ma lusrongten na lusrongten! Moul uh wangin sripama na lusrongten se.
All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
3 Kom orekma ac kemkatu in moul lom nufon, na mea oasr ma kom konauk kac?
What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
4 Sie fwil uh somla ac sie fwil sifil tuku, a faclu nuna ouiya ah na.
One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
5 Faht ah srakna tak ac srakna tili, na sa na in folok nu ke acn se ma el ac sifil takak we.
The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
6 Eng uh tuh eir me ac som nu epang, ac sifil tuk — raun na raun.
The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
7 Infacl nukewa sororla nu meoa, a meoa soenna sessesla. Kof uh folok nu yen infacl uh mutawauk we, ac sifilpa sororma.
All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 Saflaiyen ma nukewa pa totola — sie totola na yohk su wangin kas fal in aketeya. Mutasr tia muti ke ma kut liye, ac insresr tia muti ke ma kut lohng.
All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
9 Ma sikyak meet ac sifilpa sikyak. Ma orekla tari ac sifilpa orek. Wangin ma sasu in faclu nufon.
That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Mwet uh fahk, “Liye, ma sasu se pa inge!” Tusruktu sutuu, sikyak tari meet, oemeet liki na kut isusla ah.
Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
11 Wangin mwet esam ma tuh sikyak in pacl meet ah, ac in pacl fahsru wangin mwet fah esam ma sikyak in len ingela.
There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
12 Nga, Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet, su tuh muta Jerusalem ac tokosra fin acn Israel nufon.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Nga nunkala ku sik mu nga ac tuni ac lutlut ke ma nukewa ma mwet uh oru fin faclu. God El ase orekma na toasr nu sesr mwet uh in oru.
And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
14 Nga liye tari ma nukewa ma orek faclu, ac nga fahk nu sum, nufonna wangin sripaoana ukweyen eng uh.
I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
15 Kom tia ku in aksuwosyela ma kihla; kom tia pac ku in oek ma wangin uh.
That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
16 Nga fahk nu sik sifacna, “Nga sie mwet na fulat, ac nga arulana lalmwetmet liki kutena mwet su leumi Jerusalem meet likiyu. Nga etu na pwaye lah mea lalmwetmet ac etauk.”
I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17 Nga tuh sulela ku sik in etu ke kalmen etauk ac kalmen lalfon, oayapa ke lalmwetmet ac wel. Tusruktu nga konauk lah ma inge oana ukweyen eng uh.
And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
18 Lalmwetmet lom fin yokelik, na fosrnga lom ac yokelik pac. Fin yokelik etauk lom, ac yokelik pulakinyen keok sum.
Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
