Eklezyas 1
1 Pawòl predikatè a, fis a David la, Wa Jérusalem.
The words of the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2 “Vanite sou vanite”, predikatè la di: “Vanite sou vanite! Tout se vanite.”
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity.
3 Ki avantaj yon nonm gen nan tout travay ke li fè anba solèy la?
What profit hath a man of all his labor, which he taketh under the sun?
4 Yon jenerasyon ale e yon jenerasyon vini; men tè a rete pou tout tan.
[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5 Anplis, solèy la leve e solèy la kouche; konsa li kouri al jwenn plas li pou li leve la ankò.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6 Van an soufle vè sid, vire kote nò e kontinye vire fè wonn li. Sou menm kous vire won an, li retounen ankò.
The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about to the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits.
7 Tout rivyè yo desann vè lanmè a; sepandan li pa vin plen. Nan plas kote rivyè yo koule a, se la yo koule ankò.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea [is] not full; to the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 Tout bagay sa yo fatigan; lòm pa kapab menm eksplike sa. Zye pa satisfè ak wè, ni zòrèy ak tande.
All things [are] full of labor; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 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.
The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.
10 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.
Is there [any] thing of which it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11 Nanpwen memwa a ansyen bagay yo, ni anplis a sila k ap vini pita, pami sila ki vini apre yo.
[There is] no remembrance of former [things]; neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [those] that shall come after.
12 Mwen menm, predikatè a, te sèvi kon wa sou Israël nan Jérusalem.
I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 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.
And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this grievous labor hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised with it.
14 Mwen te wè tout zèv ki te fèt anba solèy la e, men vwala, tout se vanite e chache kouri dèyè van.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 Sa ki kwochi p ap ka drese e sa ki manke p ap ka konte.
[That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 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.”
I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have come to great estate, and have gained more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Jerusalem: and my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17 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.
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18 Paske nan anpil sajès gen anpil tristès, e nan anpil konesans gen anpil doulè.
For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
