Ecclesiastes 4
1 I turned myself to other things, and I saw the false accusations which are carried out under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and that there was no one to console them; and that they were not able to withstand their violence, being destitute of all help.
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 And so, I praised the dead more than the living.
Kai tah aka hing pueng amih hlang hing rhoek lakah aka duek tangtae hlang duek rhoek te ka domyok sak mai.
3 And happier than both of these, I judged him to be, who has not yet been born, and who has not yet seen the evils which are 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 Again, I was contemplating all the labors of men. And I took notice that their endeavors are open to the envy of their neighbor. And so, in this, too, there is emptiness and superfluous anxiety.
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 foolish man folds his hands together, and he consumes his own flesh, saying:
Aka ang loh a kut te a poem tih amah saa te a caak.
6 “A handful with rest is better than both hands filled with labors and with affliction of the soul.”
thakthaenah neh khohli doinah kutnarhum a bae lakah kutvang dongkah aka bae mongnah he then ngai.
7 While considering this, I also discovered another vanity under the sun.
Ka mael vaengah he khomik hmuiah a honghi ni ka hmuh.
8 He is one, and he does not have a second: no son, no brother. And yet he does not cease to labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with wealth, nor does he reflect, saying: “For whom do I labor and cheat my soul of good things?” In this, too, is emptiness and a most burdensome affliction.
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 Therefore, it is better for two to be together, than for one to be alone. For they have the advantage of their companionship.
Pakhat lakah panit he then, amih ham tah a thakthaenah dongah khaw thapang then om coeng.
10 If one falls, he shall be supported by the other. Woe to one who is alone. For when he falls, he has no one to lift 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 And if two are sleeping, they warm one another. How can one person alone be warmed?
Panit a yalh rhoi vaengah tah amah rhoi khaw bae dae pakhat tah metlam a bae eh?
12 And if a man can prevail against one, two may withstand him, and a threefold cord is broken with difficulty.
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 boy, poor and wise, than a king, old and foolish, who does not know to look ahead for the sake of posterity.
Khodaeng dae aka cueih camoe he patong tih aka ang manghai lakah then. Anih te koep thuituen ham khaw a ming moenih.
14 For sometimes, one goes forth from prison and chains, to a kingdom, while another, born to kingly power, is consumed by need.
A pin nah im lamloh manghai taengla aka pawk khaw, a ram ah khodaeng la a cun khaw amah boeiloeih.
15 I saw all the living who are walking under the sun, and I saw the next generation, who shall rise up in their places.
Khomik hmuiah aka pongpa mulhing boeih tah manghai yueng la aka pai camoe pabae taengah a pai te ka hmuh.
16 The number of people, out of all who existed before these, is boundless. And those who will exist afterwards shall not rejoice in them. But this, too, is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
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.
