Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
ʻOku ai ʻae kovi kuo u mamata ki ai ʻi he lalo laʻā, pea ʻoku lahi ia ʻi he tangata.
2 God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
Ko e tangata ʻaia ʻoku foaki ki ai ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae paʻanga lahi, mo e koloa lahi, mo e ongoongolelei, ko ia ʻoku ʻikai te ne masiva ai ʻi ha meʻa ki hono laumālie ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ne holi ki ai, ka ʻoku ʻikai foaki ʻae mālohi kiate ia ʻe he ʻOtua ke ne kamata ia, ka ʻoku kai ia ʻe he kakai kehe; ko e vaʻinga eni, pea ko e mahaki kovi moʻoni.
3 A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
Kapau ʻe tupu ʻi ha tangata ʻae fānau ʻe toko teau, pea moʻui ia ki he ngaahi taʻu lahi, pea lahi ʻaupito ʻae ngaahi ʻaho ʻo hono taʻu, ka ʻoku ʻikai fakapito hono laumālie ʻi he lelei, pea ka mate ia ʻoku ʻikai fai hano putu; ʻoku ou pehē ʻeau, ʻoku lelei hake ʻiate ia ha fanauʻi taʻehoko.
4 For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
He koeʻuhi ʻoku hoko mai ia mo e vaʻinga, pea ʻoku ʻalu ʻi he fakapoʻuli, pea ʻe ʻufiʻufi ʻaki ʻae fakapoʻuli ʻa hono hingoa.
5 The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
Kaeʻumaʻā eni, naʻe ʻikai te ne mamata ki he laʻā, pe ʻilo ha meʻa ʻe taha: ʻoku lahi hake ʻa ʻene fiemālie ʻaʻana ʻi he tokotaha ko ia.
6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
ʻIo, neongo ʻene moʻui ʻi ha taʻu ʻe ua afe, ka naʻe ʻikai te ne mamata ki he lelei: ʻikai ʻoku ʻalu kotoa pē ki he potu pe taha?
7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
ʻOku fai ʻae ngāue kotoa pē ʻae tangata, koeʻuhi ko hono ngutu, ka ʻoku ʻikai fiu ai ʻene holi.
8 What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
He ko e hā ʻoku maʻu lahi hake ʻe he poto ʻiate ia ʻoku vale? Ko e hā ʻoku maʻu ʻe he masiva, ʻaia ʻoku ʻilo ke ʻalu totonu ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kakai moʻui?
9 Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
ʻOku lelei hake ʻae sio ʻae mata ʻi he holi fano ʻae laumālie: he ko e vaʻinga foki eni mo e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
Ko e meʻa ʻaia naʻe ʻi ai kuo ʻosi hono fakahingoa, pea kuo ʻilo ia ko e tangata: ka ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fekuki ia mo ia ʻoku mālohi lahi kiate ia.
11 For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
Pea ʻi he ʻi ai ʻae ngaahi meʻa lahi ʻoku tupulekina ai ʻae vaʻinga, ko e hā hono ʻaonga ki he tangata?
12 For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?
He ko hai ʻoku ne ʻilo ʻae meʻa ʻoku lelei ki he tangata ʻi he moʻui ni, ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē ʻo ʻene moʻui vaʻinga, ʻaia ʻoku mole atu ʻo hangē ko e ʻata? He ko hai ʻoku faʻa tala ki he tangata ʻae meʻa ʻe hoko kimui ʻiate ia ʻi he lalo laʻā?
