Eklezyas 1
1 Men pawòl pitit David la, filozòf la, ki te wa nan lavil Jerizalèm.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 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.
"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."
3 Yon moun te mèt pase tout lavi l' ap travay di, ap bay kò l' traka sou latè beni, kisa sa rapòte l'?
What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4 Moun fèt, moun mouri. Men sa pa deranje anyen sou latè.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 Solèy leve, solèy kouche. L'ap kouri tounen kote pou l' leve a ankò.
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 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.
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.
7 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.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8 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.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 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.
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.
10 Menm lè nou di: Gade! Men yon bagay ki nèf, bagay la te la deja depi nan tan lontan anvan nou te fèt.
Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Look, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 Pesonn pa chonje sa ki te pase nan tan lontan. Konsa tou, pita, pesonn p'ap chonje sa k'ap pase koulye a.
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.
12 Mwen menm, nèg fò, mwen te wa peyi Izrayèl nan lavil Jerizalèm.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 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.
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.
14 Mwen wè tou sa k'ap fèt sou latè. Anyen pa vo anyen! Anyen pa rapòte anyen.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and look, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 Ou pa ka drese sa ki fin kwochi. Ou pa ka konte sa ou pa genyen.
That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.
16 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.
I said to myself, "Look, 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."
17 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.
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 Paske plis ou gen konprann, se plis ou nan tèt chaje. Plis ou konnen, se plis ou soufri.
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
