< Phungdeikung 1 >
1 Devit capa, phungdeikung Jerusalem siangpahrang ni a dei e lawk teh,
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 Ahrawnghrang doeh, ahrawnghrang doeh. Bangpueng hai ahrawnghrang doeh.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 Kanî rahim vah tami ni a tawksak e pueng bang hawinae maw kaawm.
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 Se buet touh aloum teh se alouke bout a tâco. Hatei, talai teh a kangning.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 Kanî a tâco teh bout a khup. Hatei, a tâconae koehoi bout bout a tâco.
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
6 Kahlî haiyah a kâheinae koe lah bout bout a kâhei.
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
7 Tuipuinaw a lawng teh talîpui dawk koung a kâcu eiteh kawi hoeh. Talîpui teh a lawngnae koelah bout bout a ban.
All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 Bangpueng hai tami ni dei thai hoeh totouh patangnae a kâhmo. Mit ni a khet eiteh hmawt thai hoeh. Hnâ ni a thai eiteh boum thai hoeh.
All things are full of labour; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with hearing.
9 Hno kaawm tangcoung e hai bout kaawm hane hoi a kâvan. Atu sak e hai bout sak hane hoi a kâvan. Kanî rahim vah hno katha awm hoeh.
What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Khenhaw! hno katha buet tabang ao maw awm hoeh, ayan vah yo kaawm tangcoung e doeh.
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us.
11 Ayan kaawm boi e hnonaw ouk pahnim thai awh. Ka tho hane naw hai ka tho hane naw ni bout a pahnim awh han.
There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 Kai, phungdeikung, Jerusalem khopui dawk Isarel siangpahrang lah ka o nah,
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Kanî rahim vah sakyoe e pueng thoumthainae lahoi pakhingpalang lungthin ka tawng. Cathut ni taminaw koe khoram sak nahanelah a patangpalai sak.
And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 Kanî rahim e hnosak e pueng ka hmu toe. Bangpueng ahrawnghrang doeh. Kahlî ka man e hoi doeh a kâvan.
I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 Ka longkawi e teh palan thai hoeh. Kamko e hno teh touk mahoeh.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot be numbered.
16 Kama hoi kama ka kâdei e teh, kai teh Jerusalem kauknaw pueng hlakvah ka talue, ka lung a ang, ka lungthin ni lungangnae hah alawkpui lah a kamtu.
I spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge.
17 Lungangnae hoi pathunae, polainae pakhingpalang ka tawn. Hot naw haiyah, kahlî man e patetlah doeh ao.
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 Lungangnae apap nah, lungreithainae a pap. Thoumthainae apapnae koe lungmathoenae hoe a pap.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.