Ecclesiastes 4
1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
Ko ia naʻaku tafoki mai, pea u tokanga ki he fakamālohi kotoa pē ʻoku fai ʻi he lalo laʻā: pea vakai ko e loʻimata ʻonautolu kuo fakamālohiʻi, pea ʻikai hanau fakafiemālie; pea naʻe ʻi he nima ʻonautolu naʻe fakamālohi ʻae mālohi, ka naʻe ʻikai hanau fakafiemālie.
2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
Ko ia naʻaku leleiʻia moʻoni ʻi he mate kuo mate, ʻi he moʻui ʻoku kei moʻui.
3 Yea, better is he than either of them, which has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
ʻIo, pea ʻoku lelei hake ia ʻiate kinaua fakatouʻosi, ʻaia ʻoku teʻeki ai fakatupu pe mamata ki he ngāue kovi ʻoku fai ʻi he lalo laʻā.
4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Pea ko eni, naʻaku fakalaulauloto ki he feinga mo e ngāue lelei kotoa pē, he ko e meʻa ia ʻoku fakatupu meheka ki ha tangata mei hono kaungāʻapi. Ko e vaʻinga foki eni mo e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
ʻOku fehulunaki ʻae nima ʻoe vale, pea ʻoku ne kai hono kakano ʻoʻona.
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
ʻOku lelei hake ke fonu ʻae nima ʻe taha mo e fiemālie, ʻi he fonu fakatouʻosi ʻoe nima kae feinga mo mamahi ʻae laumālie.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
Pea naʻaku toki tafoki mai, pea naʻaku mamata ki he vaʻinga ʻi he lalo laʻā.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither says he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
ʻOku ai ʻaia ʻoku tokotaha pe, pea ʻoku ʻikai hono toko ua; ʻio, ʻoku ʻikai haʻane fānau pe kāinga: ka ʻoku ʻikai ngata ʻene ngāue; pea ʻoku ʻikai fiu hono mata ki he koloa; pea ʻoku ʻikai pehē ʻe ia, Ko ʻeku ngāue eni maʻa hai, kau fakamasivaʻi ʻa hoku laumālie ʻi he lelei? Ko e vaʻinga foki eni, ʻio, ko e fakamamahi lahi.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
ʻOku lelei hake ʻae toko ua ʻi he tokotaha; he ʻoku ai ʻae totongi lelei ʻi heʻena ngāue.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help him up.
He kapau te na tō ki lalo, ʻe hiki ki ʻolunga ʻe he tokotaha ʻa hono kāinga: ka ʻe kovi lahi kiate ia ʻoku tō ki lalo ʻi heʻene tokotaha pe; he ʻoku ʻikai ha tokotaha ke tokoni hake ia ki ʻolunga.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
Ko eni foki, kapau ʻe takoto ʻae toko ua te na mafana; ka ʻe mafana fēfeeʻi ha taha ʻi heʻene tokotaha pe?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Pea kapau ʻe mālohi ha tokotaha ki he tokotaha, ka ʻe faʻa ikuʻi ia ʻe he toko ua; pea ko e afo tuʻo tolu ʻoku motungataʻa ia.
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
ʻOku lelei hake ʻae tamasiʻi ʻoku masiva mo poto, ʻi ha tuʻi ʻoku motuʻa kae vale, ʻaia ʻoku ʻikai tui ki he valoki.
14 For out of prison he comes to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becomes poor.
He ʻoku haʻu ia mei he fale fakapōpula ki he pule; ka ko ia kuo fanauʻi ko e pule ʻoku hoko ia ʻo masiva.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his position.
Naʻaku mamata ki he kakai moʻui kotoa pē ʻoku ʻaʻeva ʻi he lalo laʻā, mo hono foha ʻe hoko, ʻaia ʻe tuʻu hake ʻi hono potu ko hono fetongi.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
ʻOku ʻikai hano ngataʻanga ʻoe kakai kotoa pē, ʻakinautolu foki naʻe ʻi muʻa ʻiate kinautolu: pea ʻe ʻikai fiefia ʻiate ia ʻakinautolu ʻe tupu kimui. Ko e moʻoni ko e vaʻinga foki eni mo e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
