Ecclesiastes 4
1 So I returned, and saw all the oppressions that were done under the sun: and behold the tear of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of them that oppressed them 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 and I praised all the dead that had already died more than the living, as many as are alive until now.
Ko ia naʻaku leleiʻia moʻoni ʻi he mate kuo mate, ʻi he moʻui ʻoku kei moʻui.
3 Better also than both these is he who has not yet been, who has not seen all 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 And I saw all labor, and all the diligent work, that this is a man's envy from his neighbor. This is also vanity and waywardness 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 a handful of rest than two handfuls of trouble and waywardness 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 So I returned, and 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; yes, he has neither son nor brother: yet there is no end to all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with wealth; and for whom do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? this is also vanity, and an evil trouble.
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, [seeing] they have a good reward for their labor.
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, and there is not a second to lift 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 Also if two should lie together, they also get heat: but how shall one be warmed [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 should prevail against [him], the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord shall not be 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 wise child than an old and foolish king, who knows not how to take heed any longer.
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 he shall come forth out of the house of the prisoners to reign, because [he] also that was in his kingdom has become 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 saw all the living who were walking under the sun, with the second youth who shall stand up in each one's place.
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 to all the people, to all who were before them: and the last shall not rejoice in him: for this also is vanity and waywardness 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.
