Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
Ko e ngaahi lea eni ʻae Tangata Malanga, ko e foha ʻo Tevita, naʻe tuʻi ʻi Selūsalema.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
“Vaʻinga ʻoe vaʻinga,” ʻoku pehē ʻe he Malanga, “Vaʻinga ʻoe vaʻinga, ʻoku vaʻinga ʻae meʻa kotoa pē.”
3 What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
Ko e hā hono ʻaonga ki he tangata ʻo ʻene ngāue kotoa pē ʻoku ne fai ʻi he lalo laʻā?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
ʻOku mole atu ʻae toʻutangata ʻe taha, kae haʻu ʻae toʻutangata kehe: ka ʻoku tuʻumaʻu aipē ʻa māmani.
5 The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
ʻOku hopo hake foki ʻae laʻā, pea ʻalu hifo, ʻoku ʻalu fakavave ia ki he potu naʻe hopo mei ai.
6 Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
ʻOku ʻalu ʻae matangi ki he feituʻu tonga, pea toe liliu ki he tokelau: ʻoku fakatakamilo maʻuaipē ia, pea toe ʻalu foki ʻi hono ngaahi ʻaluʻanga.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
ʻOku tō atu ki tahi ʻae ngaahi vaitafe kotoa pē; ka ʻoku ʻikai ke pito ai ʻae tahi; pea ko e potu ʻoku tupu mei ai ʻae vaitafe ʻoku toe foki atu ia ki ai.
8 All things weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
ʻOku fonu ʻae meʻa kotoa pē ʻi he ngāue; ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fakamatala ia ʻe he tangata: pea ʻoku ʻikai fiu ʻae mata ʻi he sio, pe ko e telinga ʻi he fanongo.
9 That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
Ko e meʻa ʻaia ʻoku talu mei muʻa, ko ia ia ʻe kei ʻi ai; pea ko e meʻa ʻoku fai ni ko ia pe ʻe fai; pea ʻoku ʻikai ha meʻa foʻou ʻi he lalo laʻā.
10 If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which were before us.
He ʻoku ai ha meʻa ʻe totonu ke pehē ki ai, “Vakai, ko eni ʻae meʻa foʻou?” Naʻe ʻi ai pe ia ʻi he kuonga ʻi muʻa, ʻaia naʻe muʻa ʻiate kitautolu.
11 [Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
ʻOku ʻikai ha fakamanatu ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻi muʻa, pea ʻe ʻikai ha manatu ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻoku hoko mai ni, pe ko ia ʻe hoko ʻamui.
12 I Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Ko au ko e Malanga, naʻaku tuʻi au ki ʻIsileli ʻi Selūsalema.
13 And I directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves therewith.
Pea naʻaku fai ʻi hoku loto ke kumi pea hakule ke u poto ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku fai ʻi he lalo langi: he kuo tuku ʻae feinga ni ʻe he ʻOtua ke fakamamahi ʻaki ʻae fānau ʻae tangata.
14 I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
Kuo u mamata ki he ngāue kotoa pē ʻoku fai ʻi he lalo laʻā; pea vakai, ko e vaʻinga ʻae meʻa kotoa pē mo e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
Ko e meʻa pikopiko ʻoku ʻikai faʻa fakatotonu, pea ko ia ʻoku ʻikai kātoa ʻe ʻikai faʻa lau ia.
16 I spoke with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much wisdom and knowledge.
Naʻaku fakakaukau ʻi hoku loto ʻoʻoku, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, kuo u hoko ʻo maʻumeʻa lahi, pea ʻoku ou maʻu lahi hake ʻae poto ʻiate kinautolu kotoa pē naʻa nau ʻi muʻa ʻiate au ʻi Selūsalema; ʻio, naʻe fakapotoʻi lahi hoku loto ʻi he poto mo e ʻilo.”
17 And I directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the spirit.
Pea naʻaku tuku hoku loto ke ʻilo ʻae poto, pea ke ʻilo mo e hē mo e vale: pea u ʻiloʻi foki ia ko e fakamamahi ki he laumālie.
18 For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
He ʻoku lahi ʻae mamahi ʻi he poto ʻoku lahi: pea ko ia ʻoku fakatupu ʻa ʻene ʻilo ʻoku ne fakatupu mo e mamahi.
