Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!
A LAILA, haliu au a ike aku la i na mea luhi i hanaia malalo iho o ka la, aia hoi, na waimaka o ka poe i hooluhiia, aohe mea nana lakou e kokua mai; a ma ka aoao o ka poe nana lakou i hooluhi, he ikaika; aka, aohe mea nana lakou e kokua mai.
2 I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
No ia mea, hoomaikai aku la au i ka poe make, ka poe i make i ka wa i hala aku nei, mamua o ka poe ola, ka poe ola i keia wa e noho nei kakou.
3 But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
Oia hoi, ua oi aku mamua o laua a elua ka maikai o ka mea i hanau ole ia, ka mea i ike ole i ka hana ino i hanaia malalo iho o ka la.
4 I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
Ua ike au i na mea luhi a pau, a me na hana pololei a pau, aia hoi, no ia mau mea, ua huahuaia mai ke kanaka e kona hoalauna. He mea lapuwale keia a me ka luhi hewa.
5 Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
Ua hookui mai la ka mea naaupo i kona mau lima, a ai iho la i kona io iho.
6 It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
Ua oi aku ka piha ana o ka lima hookahi me ka noho oluolu mamua o ko na lima elua me ka hana kaumaha, a me ka luhi hewa.
7 Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
Alaila, haliu hou ae la au, a ike i ka mea lapuwale malalo iho o ka la.
8 What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!
Aia, he mea hookahi, aole ona lua, aole ana keiki, aole ona hoahanau; aka, o kana hana ana, aole e pau, aole pili iki kona mau maka i ka nana i ka waiwai, aole ia i ninau iho, No wai ko'u e hana nei, a i hoonele i ko'u uhane i ka maikai? He mea lapuwale keia, a he mea luhi loa no hoi.
9 Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.
Ua oi aku ka maikai o na mea elua mamua o ka mea hoohahi; no ka mea, ia laua ka uku maikai no ka laua hana ana.
10 If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.
No ka mea, ina e haule kekahi, e hoala kekahi i kona hoa; aka, auwe hoi ka mea hookahi i kona haule ana, no ka mea, aohe mea nana ia e hooala mai.
11 In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.
Ina i moe pu na mea elua e pumehana no laua; aka hoi, pehea a mehana ai ka mea hookahi?
12 Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
Ina e hana eha ia mai kekahi, e hiki no i na mea elua ke lanakila maluna o ia mea, a o ke kaula kaakolu, aole ia e moku koke.
13 A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
Oi aku ka maikai o ke keiki ilihune me ka naauao, mamua o ke alii elemakule me ka naaupo, ka mea hiki ole ke aoia mai.
14 He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
No ka mea, puka mai ia mai ka hale hooluhi o alii ai; aka, o ka mea i hanau alii ia ua lilo ia i mea ilihune.
15 I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
Ike iho la au i ka poe ola a pau e hele ana malalo iho o ka la, me ka lua o ke keiki, i ku i kona hakahaka.
16 He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
Aole pau i ka heluia na kanaka, ka poe mamua o lakou; a o ka poe mahope, aole lakou olioli ia ia. He mea lapu wale keia, a me ka luhi hewa.
