Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
Ko e ngaahi lea eni ʻae Tangata Malanga, ko e foha ʻo Tevita, naʻe tuʻi ʻi Selūsalema.
2 Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
“Vaʻinga ʻoe vaʻinga,” ʻoku pehē ʻe he Malanga, “Vaʻinga ʻoe vaʻinga, ʻoku vaʻinga ʻae meʻa kotoa pē.”
3 What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
Ko e hā hono ʻaonga ki he tangata ʻo ʻene ngāue kotoa pē ʻoku ne fai ʻi he lalo laʻā?
4 A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
ʻOku mole atu ʻae toʻutangata ʻe taha, kae haʻu ʻae toʻutangata kehe: ka ʻoku tuʻumaʻu aipē ʻa māmani.
5 The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
ʻOku hopo hake foki ʻae laʻā, pea ʻalu hifo, ʻoku ʻalu fakavave ia ki he potu naʻe hopo mei ai.
6 it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
ʻOku ʻalu ʻae matangi ki he feituʻu tonga, pea toe liliu ki he tokelau: ʻoku fakatakamilo maʻuaipē ia, pea toe ʻalu foki ʻi hono ngaahi ʻaluʻanga.
7 All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
ʻOku tō atu ki tahi ʻae ngaahi vaitafe kotoa pē; ka ʻoku ʻikai ke pito ai ʻae tahi; pea ko e potu ʻoku tupu mei ai ʻae vaitafe ʻoku toe foki atu ia ki ai.
8 Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
ʻOku fonu ʻae meʻa kotoa pē ʻi he ngāue; ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fakamatala ia ʻe he tangata: pea ʻoku ʻikai fiu ʻae mata ʻi he sio, pe ko e telinga ʻi he fanongo.
9 What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
Ko e meʻa ʻaia ʻoku talu mei muʻa, ko ia ia ʻe kei ʻi ai; pea ko e meʻa ʻoku fai ni ko ia pe ʻe fai; pea ʻoku ʻikai ha meʻa foʻou ʻi he lalo laʻā.
10 There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
He ʻoku ai ha meʻa ʻe totonu ke pehē ki ai, “Vakai, ko eni ʻae meʻa foʻou?” Naʻe ʻi ai pe ia ʻi he kuonga ʻi muʻa, ʻaia naʻe muʻa ʻiate kitautolu.
11 There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
ʻOku ʻikai ha fakamanatu ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻi muʻa, pea ʻe ʻikai ha manatu ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻoku hoko mai ni, pe ko ia ʻe hoko ʻamui.
12 I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
Ko au ko e Malanga, naʻaku tuʻi au ki ʻIsileli ʻi Selūsalema.
13 And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
Pea naʻaku fai ʻi hoku loto ke kumi pea hakule ke u poto ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku fai ʻi he lalo langi: he kuo tuku ʻae feinga ni ʻe he ʻOtua ke fakamamahi ʻaki ʻae fānau ʻae tangata.
14 I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
Kuo u mamata ki he ngāue kotoa pē ʻoku fai ʻi he lalo laʻā; pea vakai, ko e vaʻinga ʻae meʻa kotoa pē mo e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
15 The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
Ko e meʻa pikopiko ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fakatotonu, pea ko ia ʻoku ʻikai kātoa ʻe ʻikai faʻa lau ia.
16 I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
Naʻaku fakakaukau ʻi hoku loto ʻoʻoku, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, kuo u hoko ʻo maʻumeʻa lahi, pea ʻoku ou maʻu lahi hake ʻae poto ʻiate kinautolu kotoa pē naʻa nau ʻi muʻa ʻiate au ʻi Selūsalema; ʻio, naʻe fakapotoʻi lahi hoku loto ʻi he poto mo e ʻilo.”
17 And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
Pea naʻaku tuku hoku loto ke ʻilo ʻae poto, pea ke ʻilo mo e hē mo e vale: pea u ʻiloʻi foki ia ko e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
18 Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
He ʻoku lahi ʻae mamahi ʻi he poto ʻoku lahi: pea ko ia ʻoku fakatupu ʻa ʻene ʻilo ʻoku ne fakatupu mo e mamahi.
