Ecclesiastes 4
1 Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
Ka mael tih khomik hmuikah a hnaemtaek rhoek boeih te ka sawt. Te te khomik hmuiah a saii uh tih a hnaemtaek rhoek kah mikphi aih ke, amih aka hloep ham khaw om pawh. Aka hnaemtaek rhoek kah kut ah tah a thadueng om tih a haemtaek rhoek te aka hloep om pawh.
2 So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
Kai tah aka hing pueng amih hlang hing rhoek lakah aka duek tangtae hlang duek rhoek te ka domyok sak mai.
3 But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
Te rhoi lakah khaw, aka om hlan neh khomik hmuikah khoboe thae a saii aka hmuh pawt te then duen.
4 I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Thakthaenah cungkuem neh bibi thoemthainah cungkuem khaw ka hmuh coeng. Te dongah hlang loh a hui taengkah thatlainah he khaw a honghi neh khohli doinah mai ni.
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
Aka ang loh a kut te a poem tih amah saa te a caak.
6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
thakthaenah neh khohli doinah kutnarhum a bae lakah kutvang dongkah aka bae mongnah he then ngai.
7 Again, I saw futility under the sun.
Ka mael vaengah he khomik hmuiah a honghi ni ka hmuh.
8 There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
Hlang he pakhat bueng om tih a pabae a om moenih. Capa neh manuca khaw a taengah a om moenih. Te dongah a thakthaenah cungkuem dongah a bawtnah om pawh. A mik, a mik ah khuehtawn khaw hah pawh. U ham nim thakthaenah ka om tih, hnothen lamloh ka hinglu he a vaitah? He khaw a honghi neh boethae bibi coeng ni.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
Pakhat lakah panit he then, amih ham tah a thakthaenah dongah khaw thapang then om coeng.
10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
Cungku rhoi cakhaw pakhat loh a hui te a thoh. Tedae amah pakhat bueng ki aka cungku te khomap coeng tih anih aka thoh ham koep om pawh.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
Panit a yalh rhoi vaengah tah amah rhoi khaw bae dae pakhat tah metlam a bae eh?
12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Anih te khat khat loh khulae mai cakhaw a taengah ah panit la pai rhoi thai. Rhuihet pathum a yaep tah a yoei la a pat moenih.
13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
Khodaeng dae aka cueih camoe he patong tih aka ang manghai lakah then. Anih te koep thuituen ham khaw a ming moenih.
14 For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
A pin nah im lamloh manghai taengla aka pawk khaw, a ram ah khodaeng la a cun khaw amah boeiloeih.
15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
Khomik hmuiah aka pongpa mulhing boeih tah manghai yueng la aka pai camoe pabae taengah a pai te ka hmuh.
16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Pilnam boeih ham te a bawtnah om pawh. Amah te cungkuem taengah a hmai la a om pah dae lamhnuk rhoek loh anih taengah ko a hoe uh moenih. He khaw a honghi neh khohli dongkah kohnek mai ni.
