Ecclesiastes 1
1 Pa inge kas lun sie Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet, wen natul David, su tuh tokosra in Jerusalem.
The words of Kohelet, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet el fahk lah ma nukewa ma lusrongten na lusrongten! Moul uh wangin sripama na lusrongten se.
“Vanity of vanities,” says Kohelet; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 Kom orekma ac kemkatu in moul lom nufon, na mea oasr ma kom konauk kac?
What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4 Sie fwil uh somla ac sie fwil sifil tuku, a faclu nuna ouiya ah na.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 Faht ah srakna tak ac srakna tili, na sa na in folok nu ke acn se ma el ac sifil takak we.
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 Eng uh tuh eir me ac som nu epang, ac sifil tuk — raun na raun.
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 Infacl nukewa sororla nu meoa, a meoa soenna sessesla. Kof uh folok nu yen infacl uh mutawauk we, ac sifilpa sororma.
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 Saflaiyen ma nukewa pa totola — sie totola na yohk su wangin kas fal in aketeya. Mutasr tia muti ke ma kut liye, ac insresr tia muti ke ma kut lohng.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Ma sikyak meet ac sifilpa sikyak. Ma orekla tari ac sifilpa orek. Wangin ma sasu in faclu nufon.
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 Mwet uh fahk, “Liye, ma sasu se pa inge!” Tusruktu sutuu, sikyak tari meet, oemeet liki na kut isusla ah.
Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 Wangin mwet esam ma tuh sikyak in pacl meet ah, ac in pacl fahsru wangin mwet fah esam ma sikyak in len ingela.
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 Nga, Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet, su tuh muta Jerusalem ac tokosra fin acn Israel nufon.
I, Kohelet, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Nga nunkala ku sik mu nga ac tuni ac lutlut ke ma nukewa ma mwet uh oru fin faclu. God El ase orekma na toasr nu sesr mwet uh in oru.
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 Nga liye tari ma nukewa ma orek faclu, ac nga fahk nu sum, nufonna wangin sripaoana ukweyen eng uh.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 Kom tia ku in aksuwosyela ma kihla; kom tia pac ku in oek ma wangin uh.
That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
16 Nga fahk nu sik sifacna, “Nga sie mwet na fulat, ac nga arulana lalmwetmet liki kutena mwet su leumi Jerusalem meet likiyu. Nga etu na pwaye lah mea lalmwetmet ac etauk.”
I said to myself, “Behold, 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 Nga tuh sulela ku sik in etu ke kalmen etauk ac kalmen lalfon, oayapa ke lalmwetmet ac wel. Tusruktu nga konauk lah ma inge oana ukweyen eng uh.
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 Lalmwetmet lom fin yokelik, na fosrnga lom ac yokelik pac. Fin yokelik etauk lom, ac yokelik pulakinyen keok sum.
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
