Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.

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

2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon 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 be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall 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 that observeth the wind will not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds will not reap.

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 thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, how the bones [grow] in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh 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 sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike 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 Now the light is sweet, and pleasant is it to 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 if a man live many years, [and] rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many: all that cometh is vanity.

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 Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.

‌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 Then remove discontent from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.

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.