Ecclesiastes 1
1 Pa inge kas lun sie Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet, wen natul David, su tuh tokosra in Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, 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, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 Kom orekma ac kemkatu in moul lom nufon, na mea oasr ma kom konauk kac?
What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
4 Sie fwil uh somla ac sie fwil sifil tuku, a faclu nuna ouiya ah na.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
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 riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
6 Eng uh tuh eir me ac som nu epang, ac sifil tuk — raun na raun.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its circuits.
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 whence the rivers come, thither they return.
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 words become weary; man cannot express it; 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.
The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath 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 any thing of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times 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 remembrance of former things, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
12 Nga, Mwet Luti Lalmwetmet, su tuh muta Jerusalem ac tokosra fin acn Israel nufon.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at 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.
And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.
14 Nga liye tari ma nukewa ma orek faclu, ac nga fahk nu sum, nufonna wangin sripaoana ukweyen eng uh.
I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
15 Kom tia ku in aksuwosyela ma kihla; kom tia pac ku in oek ma wangin uh.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
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 communed with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much 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.
And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving 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 vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
