Ecclesiastes 11

1 Put out your bread on the face of the waters; for after a long time it will come back to you again.

Lii atu hoʻo mā ki he fukahi vai: he ka hili ʻae ngaahi ʻaho lahi te ke toe ʻilo ia.

2 Give a part to seven or even to eight, because you have no knowledge of the evil which will be on the earth.

Tufa ʻae ʻinasi ki he toko fitu, pea ki he toko valu foki; he ʻoku ʻikai te ke ʻilo ʻae kovi ʻe hoko ki he māmani.

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they send it down on the earth; and if a tree comes down to the south, or the north, in whatever place it comes down, there it will be.

‌ʻOka pito ʻae ngaahi ʻao ʻi he ʻuha, ʻoku fakamaha ia ki he kelekele: pea kapau ʻe hinga ha ʻakau ki he feituʻu tonga pe ki he tokelau, ko e potu ʻoku hinga ki ai ʻae ʻakau, ʻe ʻi ai pe ia.

4 He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.

Ko ia ʻoku faʻa sio ki he matangi ʻe ʻikai te ne tūtuuʻi; pea ko ia ʻoku faʻa tokanga ki he ngaahi ʻao ʻe ʻikai te ne utu mai.

5 As you have no knowledge of the way of the wind, or of the growth of the bones in the body of her who is with child, even so you have no knowledge of the works of God who has made all.

‌ʻO hangē ko hoʻo taʻeʻilo ki he anga ʻoe laumālie, mo e tupu ʻoe hui ʻi he manāva ʻoʻona ʻoku feitama: ʻoku pehē, ʻoku ʻikai te ke ʻilo ʻae ngāue ʻae ʻOtua ʻaia ʻoku ne ngaohi ʻae meʻa kotoa pē.

6 In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that — or if the two will be equally good.

Tūtuuʻi hoʻo tenga ʻi he pongipongi, pea ʻi he efiafi ʻoua naʻa taʻofi ho nima: he ʻoku ʻikai te ke ʻilo pe ko e fē ʻe tupu lelei, ʻa eni pe ko ʻena, pe te na lelei fakatouʻosi pe.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

Ko e moʻoni, ko e meʻa lelei fau ʻae maama, pea ko e meʻa fakafiefia ke sio ʻae mata ki he laʻā:

8 But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

Ka ko eni, kapau ʻe moʻui ha tangata ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi, ʻo ne fiefia ʻi ai kotoa pē; ka ʻoku lelei ke ne manatu foki ki he ngaahi ʻaho ʻoe fakapoʻuli; koeʻuhi ʻe lahi ia. Ko e meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku hoko mai ko e vaʻinga ia.

9 Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

‌ʻE tangata talavou, ke ke fiefia ʻi hoʻo kei talavou, pea ke fakafiefiaʻi ho loto ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻo hoʻo kei talavou, pea ke ʻeveʻeva ʻi he anga ʻo ho loto, pea ʻi he holi ʻa ho mata ʻoʻou: ka ke ʻilo, ko e ngaahi meʻa ni kotoa pē ʻe ʻomi ai koe ʻe he ʻOtua ki he fakamaau.

10 So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.

Ko ia ke ke hiki ai ʻae ʻita mei ho loto, mo e fai kovi mei ho kakano: he ko e kei tamasiʻi mo e kei talavou ko e vaʻinga ia.