Index: field_collection.module
===================================================================
--- field_collection.module	(revision 25)
+++ field_collection.module	(working copy)
@@ -908,7 +908,12 @@
       list($id) = entity_extract_ids($entity_type, $entity);
       $element['#suffix'] = '';
       if (!empty($settings['description'])) {
-        $element['#suffix'] .= '<div class="description field-collection-description">' . field_filter_xss($instance['description']) . '</div>';
+        if (module_exists('i18n_field')) {
+          $element['#suffix'] .= '<div class="description field-collection-description">' . field_filter_xss(i18n_field_translate_property($instance, 'description')) . '</div>';
+        }
+        else {
+          $element['#suffix'] .= '<div class="description field-collection-description">' . field_filter_xss($instance['description']) . '</div>';
+        }
       }
       $title = entity_i18n_string("field:{$field['field_name']}:{$instance['bundle']}:setting_add", $settings['add']);
       $add_path = $path . '/add/' . $entity_type . '/' . $id;