Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Pawòl predikatè a, fis a David la, Wa Jérusalem.
2 All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
“Vanite sou vanite”, predikatè la di: “Vanite sou vanite! Tout se vanite.”
3 What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
Ki avantaj yon nonm gen nan tout travay ke li fè anba solèy la?
4 One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
Yon jenerasyon ale e yon jenerasyon vini; men tè a rete pou tout tan.
5 The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
Anplis, solèy la leve e solèy la kouche; konsa li kouri al jwenn plas li pou li leve la ankò.
6 The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
Van an soufle vè sid, vire kote nò e kontinye vire fè wonn li. Sou menm kous vire won an, li retounen ankò.
7 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.
Tout rivyè yo desann vè lanmè a; sepandan li pa vin plen. Nan plas kote rivyè yo koule a, se la yo koule ankò.
8 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.
Tout bagay sa yo fatigan; lòm pa kapab menm eksplike sa. Zye pa satisfè ak wè, ni zòrèy ak tande.
9 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.
Sa ki te ye, se sa ki va ye e sa ki te konn fèt, se sa k ap fèt. Konsa, nanpwen anyen ki nèf anba syèl la.
10 Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
Èske gen yon bagay sou sila a nou ta kab di: “Men sa a nèf”? Deja, li te la depi syèk ki te ekoule avan nou yo.
11 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.
Nanpwen memwa a ansyen bagay yo, ni anplis a sila k ap vini pita, pami sila ki vini apre yo.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mwen menm, predikatè a, te sèvi kon wa sou Israël nan Jérusalem.
13 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.
Mwen te konsantre tout refleksyon mwen pou chache e egzamine sou sajès tout sa ki te konn fèt anba syèl la. Sa se yon gwo tach lou ke Bondye te bay fis a lòm yo pou l ta aflije yo.
14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
Mwen te wè tout zèv ki te fèt anba solèy la e, men vwala, tout se vanite e chache kouri dèyè van.
15 That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
Sa ki kwochi p ap ka drese e sa ki manke p ap ka konte.
16 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.
Mwen te di a pwòp tèt mwen: “Men gade, mwen te fè sajès vin grandi e ogmante plis pase tout lòt wa ki te sou Jérusalem avan mwen yo. Wi, panse mwen te obsève anpil richès ak sajès avèk konesans.”
17 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.
Mwen te dirije panse mwen pou konnen sajès e pou konnen sa ki ensanse ak sa ki foli nèt. Konsa, mwen te vin wè ke sa osi se chache kouri dèyè van.
18 Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
Paske nan anpil sajès gen anpil tristès, e nan anpil konesans gen anpil doulè.
