Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
Ko nga kupu a te Kaikauwhau, ara a te tama a Rawiri, i kingi nei ki Hiruharama.
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
He tino horihori rawa, e ai ta te Kaikauwhau, he tino horihori rawa; he horihori katoa.
3 What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
He aha te pai ki te tangata o tona mauiui katoa e mauiui ai ia i raro i te ra?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
Ko tenei whakatupuranga e haere atu ana, ko tera whakatupuranga e haere mai ana: ko te whenua ia, mau tonu.
5 And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws towards its place;
E whiti ana hoki te ra, e heke atu ana te ra, hohoro tonu atu ki tona wahi whiti mai ai.
6 arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round towards the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
E anga ana te hau ki te tonga, na ka taka ki te raki; he hanga takataka tonu tana i tona ara, a ka hoki mai ano te hau ki ona takatakanga.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there they return again.
E rere ana nga awa katoa ki te moana, heoi kahore e ki te moana: ko te wahi i rere mai ai nga awa, ka hoki atu ano ratou ki reira.
8 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.
Mauiui rawa nga mea katoa, e kore e taea e te tangata te korero: e kore te kanohi e ngata i te matakaitaki, e kore te taringa e ki i te whakarongo.
9 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.
Ko to mua mea koia ano hei mea aianei; a ko te mea i mahia i mua ka mahia ano aianei; kahore hoki he mea hou i raro i te ra.
10 [Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us.
Tera ano ranei he mea e ki ai tetahi, Titiro, he mea hou tenei? He mea ia no nga wa o mua, no era i mua atu i a tatou.
11 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].
Kahore he mahara ki nga whakatupuranga o mua; kahore hoki e maharatia nga whakatupuranga e haere mai a muri nei e te hunga o muri atu.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Ko ahau, ko te Kaikauwhau, te kingi o Iharaira i Hiruharama.
13 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.
Na ka whakaangahia e ahau toku ngakau ki te whakaaro nui hei rapu, hei kimi i nga mea katoa e mahia ana i raro i te rangi: na te Atua tenei whakararuraru kino i homai ki nga tama a te tangata hei whakararu i a ratou.
14 I saw all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
Kua kite ahau i nga mea katoa e mahia ana i raro i te ra. Nana, he horihori katoa, he whai hoki i te hau.
15 That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered.
Ko te mea piko e kore e taea te whakahangai: ko te mea koha e kore e taea te tatau.
16 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.
I korerorero ahau ki toku ngakau, i mea, Nana, kua whiwhi rawa ahau i te whakaaro nui ki runga ake i o te hunga katoa i mua atu i ahau i Hiruharama: ae ra, he maha nga mea kua kitea e toku ngakau o te whakaaro nui, o te matauranga.
17 And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
Na ka whakaangahia e ahau toku ngakau kia mohio ki te whakaaro nui, kia mohio ki te haurangi, ki te wairangi: a kua kite ahau he whai ano hoki tenei i te hau.
18 For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
Ma te nui hoki o te whakaaro ka nui ai te pouri: a ko te tangata e whakaneke ake ana i te matauranga e whakaneke ake ana i te mamae.
