Mpitoriteny 1
1 Ny tenin’ i Mpitoriteny, zanak’ i Davida, mpanjaka tany Jerosalema.
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 Zava-poana dia zava-poana, hoy Mpitoriteny, zava-poana dia zava-poana, eny, zava-poana ny zavatra rehetra!
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3 Inona no soa azon’ ny olona amin’ ny fisasarany rehetra izay isasarany atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro?
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 Lasa ny taranaka iray, ary mandimby kosa ny taranaka iray; fa ny tany mbola maharitra mandrakizay.
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 Ny masoandro koa miposaka ary ny masoandro milentika sady miriotra ho any amin’ ny fitoerana izay niposahany.
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
6 Mianatsimo ny rivotra, dia mihodìna mianavaratra, mivezivezy mandrakariva izy ka miverimberina manodidina indray.
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back 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 flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 Maivana ny teny rehetra, ka tsy misy olona mahalaza; ny maso tsy mamo mijery, ary ny sofina tsy mamo mihaino.
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 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.
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 Raha misy zavatra azo lazaina hoe: He! ity no vaovao, dia ilay efa teo ela tany amin’ ny andro talohantsika ihany izany.
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 Tsy misy fahatsiarovana ny taloha; ary ny ho avy koa dia tsy hotsarovan’ izay handimby azy.
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 Izaho Mpitoriteny dia mpanjakan’ ny Isiraely tany Jerosalema;
I am the Teacher, and I have been 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.
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 Efa hitako ny zavatra rehetra izay atao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro; fa, indro, zava-poana sy misambo-drivotra foana izany rehetra izany.
I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
15 Ny meloka tsy mety tonga mahitsy; ary ny tsy ao tsy mba azo isaina.
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
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 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 Ary nampiasaiko ny foko hahalala fahendrena sy hahalala fahaverezan-tsaina sy fahadalana; dia fantatro fa misambo-drivotra foana koa izany,
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 satria izay be fahendrena dia be alahelo, ary izay mitombo fahalalana dia mitombo fahoriana.
For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
