Mpitoriteny 1
1 Ny tenin’ i Mpitoriteny, zanak’ i Davida, mpanjaka tany Jerosalema.
The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
2 Zava-poana dia zava-poana, hoy Mpitoriteny, zava-poana dia zava-poana, eny, zava-poana ny zavatra rehetra!
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
3 Inona no soa azon’ ny olona amin’ ny fisasarany rehetra izay isasarany atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro?
What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
4 Lasa ny taranaka iray, ary mandimby kosa ny taranaka iray; fa ny tany mbola maharitra mandrakizay.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
5 Ny masoandro koa miposaka ary ny masoandro milentika sady miriotra ho any amin’ ny fitoerana izay niposahany.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
6 Mianatsimo ny rivotra, dia mihodìna mianavaratra, mivezivezy mandrakariva izy ka miverimberina manodidina indray.
Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
7 Ny renirano rehetra dia samy mankamin’ ny ranomasina, nefa tsy tondraka ny ranomasina; any amin’ izay falehan’ ny renirano ihany no iverenany indray.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
8 Maivana ny teny rehetra, ka tsy misy olona mahalaza; ny maso tsy mamo mijery, ary ny sofina tsy mamo mihaino.
All things weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Izay efa teo ihany no ho tonga indray, ary izay efa natao ihany no mbola hatao indray fa tsy misy zava-baovao akory atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro.
That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Raha misy zavatra azo lazaina hoe: He! ity no vaovao, dia ilay efa teo ela tany amin’ ny andro talohantsika ihany izany.
If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which were before us.
11 Tsy misy fahatsiarovana ny taloha; ary ny ho avy koa dia tsy hotsarovan’ izay handimby azy.
[Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
12 Izaho Mpitoriteny dia mpanjakan’ ny Isiraely tany Jerosalema;
I Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 ary nampiasaiko ny foko mba hitady sy hikatsaka amim-pahendrena ny zavatra rehetra izay atao atỳ ambanin’ ny lanitra; asa mahareraka omen’ Andriamanitra hisasaran’ ny zanak’ olombelona izany.
And I directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves therewith.
14 Efa hitako ny zavatra rehetra izay atao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro; fa, indro, zava-poana sy misambo-drivotra foana izany rehetra izany.
I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
15 Ny meloka tsy mety tonga mahitsy; ary ny tsy ao tsy mba azo isaina.
What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
16 Hoy izaho tamin’ ny foko: Indro, izaho nahazo fahendrena be dia be mihoatra noho izay rehetra talohako teto Jerosalema; eny, ny foko nahita ny fahendrena sy ny fahalalana betsaka.
I spoke with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17 Ary nampiasaiko ny foko hahalala fahendrena sy hahalala fahaverezan-tsaina sy fahadalana; dia fantatro fa misambo-drivotra foana koa izany,
And I directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the spirit.
18 satria izay be fahendrena dia be alahelo, ary izay mitombo fahalalana dia mitombo fahoriana.
For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
