Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.
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 So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;
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 and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.
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 Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on 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 The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.
Ua hookui mai la ka mea naaupo i kona mau lima, a ai iho la i kona io iho.
6 Better a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on 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 again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: —
Alaila, haliu hou ae la au, a ike i ka mea lapuwale malalo iho o ka la.
8 Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
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 Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.
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 For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him 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 Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?
Ina i moe pu na mea elua e pumehana no laua; aka hoi, pehea a mehana ai ka mea hookahi?
12 And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.
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 Better a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.
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 For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he 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 saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s 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 There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
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.
