Eklezyas 1
1 Pawòl predikatè a, fis a David la, Wa Jérusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in 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 man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth 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 standeth 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 its place where it ariseth.
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 towards the north: it turneth about continually, and the wind returneth again 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: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go 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 toil; none can express 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.
That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new 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 a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which were 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 remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.
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 applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.
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 pursuit of the wind.
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 mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much 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 applied my heart to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the knowledge of madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after the wind.
18 Paske nan anpil sajès gen anpil tristès, e nan anpil konesans gen anpil doulè.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
