Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, “These do not please me.”
Kia mahara ra ki tou Kaihanga i nga ra o tou tamarikitanga, i te mea kahore ano kia tae noa mai nga ra o te kino, a kahore ano kia tata mai nga tau e ki ai koe, Kahore oku ahuareke ki enei tau;
2 Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,
I te mea kahore ano kia pouri noa te ra, te marama, te marama, me nga whetu, a kahore ano kia hoki mai nga kapua i muri i te ua:
3 when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened.
I te ra e wiri ai nga kaitiaki o te whare, a ka piko iho nga tangata marohirohi, ka mutu ano hoki ta nga kaihuri, no te mea he torutoru ratou, ka pouri ano hoki nga mea e titiro mai nei i nga matapihi.
4 And they will close the doors to the street, when the voice of he who grinds the grain will be humbled, and they will be disturbed at the sound of a flying thing, and all the daughters of song shall become deaf.
A ka tutakina nga tatau i te huarahi; a ka iti te haruru o te huri, a ka ara ake tetahi i te tangi o te manu, ka whakahokia iho hoki ki raro nga kotiro katoa o te waiata;
5 Likewise, they will fear the things above them, and they will dread the way. The almond tree will flourish; the locust will be fattened; and the caper plant will be scattered, because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall wander around in the street.
Ae ra, ka wehi ratou i te mea tiketike, kei te huarahi hoki nga mea whakamataku; a ka puawai te aramona, ka taimaha ano hoki te mawhitiwhiti, ka iti haere te hiahia: ka haere nei hoki te tangata ki tona whare tuturu, a ka haereere nga kaitangi i nga huarahi:
6 Before the silver cord is broken, and the golden band pulls away, and the pitcher is crushed over the fountain, and the wheel is broken above the cistern,
I te mea kahore ano kia mawheto noa te aho hiriwa, kia pakaru noa ranei te oko koura, kia pakaru ranei te haka ki te puna, kia pakaru te wira ki te poka wai;
7 and the dust returns to its earth, from which it was, and the spirit returns to God, who granted it.
A ka hoki te puehu ki te whenua, ki tona ahua o mua, a ka hoki te wairua ki te Atua nana nei i homai.
8 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all is vanity!
He horihori, he tino horihori, e ai ta te Kaikauwhau; he horihori te katoa.
9 And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables.
Na no te mea he tangata whakaaro nui te Kaikauwhau, koia i whakaakona tonutia ai e ia te iwi ki te matauranga; ae ra, i whakaaroaro ia, i rapu, a i ata whakatakotoria e ia nga whakatauki maha.
10 He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth.
I whai te Kaikauwhau kia kitea nga kupu huatau: he mea tika ano te mea i tuhituhia, he kupu pono.
11 The words of the wise are like a goad, and like nails deeply fastened, which, through the counsel of teachers, are set forth by one pastor.
Ko nga kupu a te hunga whakaaro nui koia ano kei nga werowero, a ko nga kupu a nga kaihuihui o nga whakaminenga kei nga whao i titia kia mau, he mea i homai e te hepara kotahi.
12 You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh.
A kia ai enei hei whakatupato i a koe, e taku tama; ko te tuhi i nga pukapuka maha kahore he mutunga; ki te nui hoki te ako ka mauiui te kikokiko.
13 Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man.
Ko te whakamutunga tenei o te mea katoa; kua rangona katoatia; e wehi ki te Atua, puritia ana whakahau: ko nga mea katoa hoki enei hei mahi ma te tangata.
14 And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil.
No te mea ka whakawakia nga mahi katoa e te Atua, te mea huna ano hoki, ahakoa pai, ahakoa kino.
