Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
Kai tah ka lungbuei ah, “Cet laeh lamtah, nang te kohoenah neh kan noem eh. Te dongah hnothen te a hmuh dae te khaw a honghi he.
2 I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
Nueihbu te ka yan tih kohoenah neh, ‘Banim a saii he,” ka ti.
3 I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
Ka lungbuei khuikah tah ka saa he misurtui neh dangrhoek ham, ka lungbuei he cueihnah neh hmaithawn ham, a hingnah khohnin tarhing la vaan hmuikah a saii uh te, hlang ca rhoek ham mebang a then khaw ka hmuh hil, lunghmangnah te tuuk hamla ka yaam.
4 I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
Ka bibi ka rhoeng sak tih kamah ham im ka sak, kamah hamla misur ka phung.
5 I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
Kamah hamla dum neh khotu ka tawn tih a khuiah thing thaih boeih ka tue.
6 I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
Duup thing aka poe te tui suep hamla kamah loh tuibuem ka saii.
7 I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
salpa neh salnu khaw ka lai tih im kah cacah khaw ka taengah om. Saelhung saelrhoi neh boiva khaw kamah taengah muep om tih, ka mikhmuh ah Jerusalem kah aka om boeih lakah yet.
8 and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
Kamah hamla cak neh sui khaw, manghai lungthen neh paeng ka calui coeng. Kamah ham aka hlai, aka hlai rhoek khaw, hlang capa kah omthenbawnnah la rhoiding khaw ka khueh.
9 So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
Jerusalem ah ka rhoeng tih ka mikhmuh kah aka om boeih lakah ka lawn. Kai cueihnah khaw ka khuiah cak.
10 Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Ka mik loh a hoe boeih tah ka hloh moenih. Ka lungbuei te kohoenah cungkuem lamloh ka hloh moenih. Ka thakthaenah cungkuem khuiah pataeng ka lungbuei a kohoe. He ni ka thakthaenah cungkuem dongah kai kah khoyo la a om.
11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
Ka kut loh a saii bangla ka bibi boeih khaw, thakthaenah te khaw ka hoihaeng coeng. Te te saii hamla ka thakthae akhaw a honghi neh khohli doinah boeih ni he. Te dongah khomik hmuikah he rhoeikhangnah moenih.
12 Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
Cueihnah hmuh hamla anglatnah neh lunghmangnah khaw ka mael thil. Oepsoeh la a saii pah phoeiah manghai hnukah aka pawk te mebang hlang nim?
13 And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
Vangnah he hmaisuep lakah rhoeikhangnah a om bangla cueihnah he lunghmangnah lakah rhoeikhangnah om tila ka hmuh.
14 The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
Hlang cueih kah a mik tah a lu khuiah om dae aka ang tah hmaisuep ah pongpa. Te dongah amih boeih te a hmatoeng pakhat loh a mah tila ka ming van.
15 So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
Ka lungbuei khuiah tah, “Kai khaw aka ang kah hmatoeng bangla kamah m'mah. Te dongah metlam ka cueih tih ka hoeikhang?” ka ti. Te vaengah ka lungbuei nen tah, “He khaw a honghi coeng ni,” ka ti.
16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
Aka ang bangla aka cueih ham khaw kumhal duela poekkoepnah om mahpawh. Oepsoeh la khohnin aka pai boeih dongah a hnilh pawn ni. Aka cueih khaw aka ang bangla duek aya?
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Te dongah hingnah te ka hmuhuet coeng. Khomik hmuikah a saii bitat he kai ham tah thae coeng. A cungkuem he a honghi neh khohli doinah mai ni.
18 I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
Ka thakthaenah boeih he ka hmuhuet coeng. Khomik hmuikah thakthaekung la ka om. Te te ka hnukah aka om hlang ham ni ka khueh eh.
19 And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
Ulong a ming huek? Lunghmang khaw hlangcueih om nim? Tedae ka thakthaenah boeih te a taemrhai hae ni. Te nen te ka thakthae tih te nen te ka cueih dae khomik hmuiah tah te khaw a honghi mai ni.
20 So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
Te dongah ka lungbuei he talsae la ka mael puei. Khomik hmuiah thakthaenah cungkuem neh ka thakthae.
21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
Hlang bangla cueihnah neh, mingnah neh, thoemthainah neh thakthaenah la om. Tedae amah ham aka thakthae pawt hlang te khaw a khoyo a paek. He khaw a honghi neh thae tangkik mai.
22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
A thakthaenah cungkuem dong neh a lungbuei kah kohnek dongah khaw hlang hamla balae aka om? Anih te khomik hmuikah thakthaekung la om.
23 Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
A khohnin te nganboh, a bibi khaw konoinah boeih ni. Khoyin ah pataeng a lungbuei ip pawh. He khaw amah la a honghi ni.
24 Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
A caak tih a ok bangla hlang ham hnothen a om moenih. Tedae a hinglu a hmuh te ni a thakthaenah khui lamloh hnothen la a om. He khaw Pathen kut lamkah ni tila ka hmuh.
25 For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
Kai lamkah rhamvoel ah unim aka ca thai tih unim aka tawn bal?
26 To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Amah mikhmuh kah aka then hlang te tah cueihnah, mingnah neh kohoenah khaw a paek. Tedae aka tholh te tah Pathen mikhmuh kah aka then taengah paek hamla, coi hamla, calui hamla bibi a paek. He khaw a honghi neh khohli doinah mai ni.
