Patukkung 4
1 Ni tlim ah sak ih pacaekthlaekhaihnawk to ka khet moe, ka poek let bae naah; khenah, pacaekthlaekhaih tongh kaminawk loe qah o, toe pathloepkung tawn o ai; kami pacaekthlaek kaminawk loe sakthaihaih tha to tawnh o, toe pacaelthlaek ih kaminawk loe pathloepkung tawn o ai.
Then I turned and saw all the oppressions which take place under the sun; and, behold, there were the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors there was violence, and they had no comforter.
2 To pongah kadueh tangcae kaminawk loe, kahing kaminawk pongah tahamhoih o kue, tiah ka thuih.
Therefore I praised the dead, who have been long ago dead, more than the living, who are yet alive.
3 Ue, kaom vai ai, ni tlim ah sak ih sethaih hmuen hnu vai ai kami loe to kaminawk pongah tahamhoih kue.
Yea, better than both of them is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work which is done under the sun.
4 Kami mah a imtaeng kami to ut pongah ni, patanghaih hoiah tok a sak, tiah ka hnuk. Hae hmuen doeh azom pui ni, takhi hnuk tapom rumramhaih ah ni oh.
And I saw all labor, and all success in work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
5 Kamthu loe a ban to pakhuem moe, angmah ih angan to caak.
The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh.
6 Patanghaih hoiah toksak moe, ban hnetto koiah hmuen tawnh pacoengah, takhi hnukah patom rumram pongah loe, kamding rue ah toksak moe, ban tamsum maeto hmuen tawnh to hoih kue.
Better is a hand full of quietness, than both hands full of weariness and striving after wind.
7 To pacoengah ni tlim ah kaom azom pui hmuen to ka hnuk let bae vop.
Then I turned and saw other vanity under the sun.
8 Kami maeto loe ampui tawn ai, caa sah ai moe, nawkamya doeh tawn ai, angmabueng khosak, toe toksak patanghaih to boeng thai ai; a tawnh ih hmuennawk to khet boep thai ai; kai loe kaimah hoi kaimah pacaekthlaek kami ah ni ka oh moe, kaimah ih khosak hoihaih to poek ai ah, minawk han ih maw patanghaih hoiah tha ka pathok moeng, tiah anih mah poek vai ai. Hae hmuen doeh azom pui ni, patangkhang rumramhaih ah ni oh.
There is one who is alone, and no one with him; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end to all his labor, and his eye is not satisfied with riches. “For whom, then [[saith he]], do I labor and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity; yea, it is an evil thing!
9 Hnetto loe maeto pongah hoih kue; nihnik mah toksak azom hoi nahaeloe, toksakhaih atho to hnu hoi hmaek tih.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 Maeto amtim nahaeloe ampui mah anih to pathawk tih; toe bomkung tawn ai ah angmabueng ah amtimh kami loe khosak bing!
For if they fall, the one will lift his fellow up; but woe to him who is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to help him up!
11 Kami hnetto nawnto angsong hoi nahaeloe, bae um tih! Toe angmabueng ah angsong nahaeloe, kawbangmaw bae thai tih?
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat; but how can one be warm alone?
12 Kalah kami mah maeto han hmaang naah nihnik loe angbomh hoi tih; aqui thumto ah zet ih qui loe apet han rai.
And if an enemy prevail against one, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Thuitaekhaih koeh ai siangpahrang kamthu mitong pongah loe, palungha mithoe nawkta to hoih kue.
Better is a child poor but wise, than a king old and foolish, who will no more be admonished.
14 Kami loe thongkrah cadoeh, siangpahrang ah angcoeng thaih; siangpahrang imthung ah tapen cadoeh amtang thaih.
For out of prison cometh forth such a one to reign; for in his own kingdom he was born a poor man.
15 Ni tlim ah kahing khosah kaminawk loe, siangpahrang qawktoep han kazing, kami hnukah ni bang o boih, tiah ka poek.
I saw that all the living, who walk under the sun, were with the child who stood up in his stead.
16 Anih loe angmah hmaa ih kroeklaek ai kami nuiah siangpahrang ah oh, toe angzo han koi kaminawk loe siangpahrang nuiah anghoe o poe mak ai. Hae hmuen doeh azom pui ah ni oh tangtang, takhi hnukah patom ramrum baktiah ni oh.
There was no end to all the people before whom he went forth; yet they that come afterwards shall not rejoice in him. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
