Ecclesiastes 1

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Men pawòl pitit David la, filozòf la, ki te wa nan lavil Jerizalèm.

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Nan lavi a anyen pa vo anyen. Se sa filozòf la di. Non, anyen pa vo anyen nan lavi a. Tout bagay gen pou pase.

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Yon moun te mèt pase tout lavi l' ap travay di, ap bay kò l' traka sou latè beni, kisa sa rapòte l'?

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

Moun fèt, moun mouri. Men sa pa deranje anyen sou latè.

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

Solèy leve, solèy kouche. L'ap kouri tounen kote pou l' leve a ankò.

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

Van an soufle soti nan nò desann nan sid. Apre sa, li vire soti nan sid moute nan nò. Konsa, l'ap vire tounen nan menm chemen an san rete.

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

Tout dlo larivyè desann nan lanmè, men lanmè pa janm plen. Dlo a tounen kote larivyè a te soti a. Konsa, larivyè a pa janm sispann koule.

All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Tout bagay ap vire won san rete. Pa gen pawòl ki ka di jan sa ye. Je pa janm bouke wè. Zòrèy pa janm bouke tande.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Sa ki te rive anvan, se sa ki va rive apre. Sa yo te fè anvan an, se sa y'ap toujou fè. Pa gen anyen ki chanje sou latè beni.

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Menm lè nou di: Gade! Men yon bagay ki nèf, bagay la te la deja depi nan tan lontan anvan nou te fèt.

There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Pesonn pa chonje sa ki te pase nan tan lontan. Konsa tou, pita, pesonn p'ap chonje sa k'ap pase koulye a.

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

Mwen menm, nèg fò, mwen te wa peyi Izrayèl nan lavil Jerizalèm.

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

Mwen te soti pou m' te fouye, pou m' te egzaminen tou sa k'ap fèt sou latè nan tout ti detay yo. Travay Bondye bay moun fè sou latè a pa manke rèd.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Mwen wè tou sa k'ap fèt sou latè. Anyen pa vo anyen! Anyen pa rapòte anyen.

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

Ou pa ka drese sa ki fin kwochi. Ou pa ka konte sa ou pa genyen.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

Mwen di nan kè mwen: Mwen vin grannèg. Mwen vin pi fò pase tout wa ki t'ap gouvènen lavil Jerizalèm anvan m' yo. Mwen konnen sa ki rele gen konprann ak konesans.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

Mwen te soti pou m' te konnen diferans ki genyen ant moun ki gen konprann ak moun egare, ant moun ki gen konesans ak moun sòt. Men, la ankò, mwen wè anyen pa rapòte anyen.

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Paske plis ou gen konprann, se plis ou nan tèt chaje. Plis ou konnen, se plis ou soufri.