Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
ʻOku ai ʻae kovi kuo u mamata ki ai ʻi he lalo laʻā, pea ʻoku lahi ia ʻi he tangata.
2 a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
Ko e tangata ʻaia ʻoku foaki ki ai ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae paʻanga lahi, mo e koloa lahi, mo e ongoongolelei, ko ia ʻoku ʻikai te ne masiva ai ʻi ha meʻa ki hono laumālie ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ne holi ki ai, ka ʻoku ʻikai foaki ʻae mālohi kiate ia ʻe he ʻOtua ke ne kamata ia, ka ʻoku kai ia ʻe he kakai kehe; ko e vaʻinga eni, pea ko e mahaki kovi moʻoni.
3 If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;
Kapau ʻe tupu ʻi ha tangata ʻae fānau ʻe toko teau, pea moʻui ia ki he ngaahi taʻu lahi, pea lahi ʻaupito ʻae ngaahi ʻaho ʻo hono taʻu, ka ʻoku ʻikai fakapito hono laumālie ʻi he lelei, pea ka mate ia ʻoku ʻikai fai hano putu; ʻoku ou pehē ʻeau, ʻoku lelei hake ʻiate ia ha fanauʻi taʻehoko.
4 for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
He koeʻuhi ʻoku hoko mai ia mo e vaʻinga, pea ʻoku ʻalu ʻi he fakapoʻuli, pea ʻe ʻufiʻufi ʻaki ʻae fakapoʻuli ʻa hono hingoa.
5 moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;
Kaeʻumaʻā eni, naʻe ʻikai te ne mamata ki he laʻā, pe ʻilo ha meʻa ʻe taha: ʻoku lahi hake ʻa ʻene fiemālie ʻaʻana ʻi he tokotaha ko ia.
6 yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?
ʻIo, neongo ʻene moʻui ʻi ha taʻu ʻe ua afe, ka naʻe ʻikai te ne mamata ki he lelei: ʻikai ʻoku ʻalu kotoa pē ki he potu pe taha?
7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
ʻOku fai ʻae ngāue kotoa pē ʻae tangata, koeʻuhi ko hono ngutu, ka ʻoku ʻikai fiu ai ʻene holi.
8 For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?
He ko e hā ʻoku maʻu lahi hake ʻe he poto ʻiate ia ʻoku vale? Ko e hā ʻoku maʻu ʻe he masiva, ʻaia ʻoku ʻilo ke ʻalu totonu ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kakai moʻui?
9 Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
ʻOku lelei hake ʻae sio ʻae mata ʻi he holi fano ʻae laumālie: he ko e vaʻinga foki eni mo e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
10 Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.
Ko e meʻa ʻaia naʻe ʻi ai kuo ʻosi hono fakahingoa, pea kuo ʻilo ia ko e tangata: ka ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fekuki ia mo ia ʻoku mālohi lahi kiate ia.
11 Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?
Pea ʻi he ʻi ai ʻae ngaahi meʻa lahi ʻoku tupulekina ai ʻae vaʻinga, ko e hā hono ʻaonga ki he tangata?
12 For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
He ko hai ʻoku ne ʻilo ʻae meʻa ʻoku lelei ki he tangata ʻi he moʻui ni, ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē ʻo ʻene moʻui vaʻinga, ʻaia ʻoku mole atu ʻo hangē ko e ʻata? He ko hai ʻoku faʻa tala ki he tangata ʻae meʻa ʻe hoko kimui ʻiate ia ʻi he lalo laʻā?
