Eklezyas 1
1 Pawòl predikatè a, fis a David la, Wa Jérusalem.
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 “Vanite sou vanite”, predikatè la di: “Vanite sou vanite! Tout se vanite.”
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3 Ki avantaj yon nonm gen nan tout travay ke li fè anba solèy la?
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 Yon jenerasyon ale e yon jenerasyon vini; men tè a rete pou tout tan.
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 Anplis, solèy la leve e solèy la kouche; konsa li kouri al jwenn plas li pou li leve la ankò.
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
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 blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
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 flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 Tout bagay sa yo fatigan; lòm pa kapab menm eksplike sa. Zye pa satisfè ak wè, ni zòrèy ak tande.
Everything becomes wearisome, and no one can explain it. The eye is not satisfied by what it sees, nor is the ear fulfilled by what it hears.
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.
Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. 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 anything about which it may be said, 'Look, this is new'? Whatever exists has already existed for a long time, during ages which came long before us.
11 Nanpwen memwa a ansyen bagay yo, ni anplis a sila k ap vini pita, pami sila ki vini apre yo.
No one seems to remember the things that happened in ancient times, and the things that happened much later and that will happen in the future will not likely be remembered either.”
12 Mwen menm, predikatè a, te sèvi kon wa sou Israël nan Jérusalem.
I am the Teacher, and I have been 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.
I applied my mind to study and to search out by wisdom everything that is done under heaven. That search is a burdensome task that God has given to the children of mankind to be busy with.
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 deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
15 Sa ki kwochi p ap ka drese e sa ki manke p ap ka konte.
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
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 have spoken to my heart saying, “Look, I have acquired greater wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My mind has seen great 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.
So I applied my heart to know wisdom and also madness and folly. I came to understand that this also was an attempt to shepherd the wind.
18 Paske nan anpil sajès gen anpil tristès, e nan anpil konesans gen anpil doulè.
For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
