Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”

Manatu eni ki ho Tupuʻanga ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻo hoʻo kei siʻi, ʻi he teʻeki ke hoko ʻae ngaahi ʻaho ʻoe kovi, pe ʻunuʻunu mai ʻae ngaahi taʻu, ʻaia te ke pehē ai, “ʻOku ʻikai te u maʻu ʻi ai ha fiemālie;”

2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

‌ʻI he teʻeki ai ke fakapoʻuli ʻae laʻā, pe ko e maama, pe ko e māhina, pe ko e ngaahi fetuʻu, pea ʻuha maʻu pe ʻae ngaahi ʻao:

3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,

‌ʻI he ʻaho ʻe tetetete ʻae kau tauhi fale, pea ʻe fakatōmapeʻe ʻae kau tangata mālohi, pea kuo tuku ʻae momosi ʻae kau momosi koeʻuhi kuo siʻi, pea ʻe fakapoʻuli ʻakinautolu ʻoku sio atu ʻi he matapā sioʻata.

4 and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

Pea ʻe tāpuni ʻae ngaahi matapā ʻi he hala, ʻoka siʻi ʻae longoaʻa ʻoe meʻa momosi, pea ʻe tuʻu hake ia ʻi he leʻo ʻoe manupuna, pea ʻe vaivai hifo ʻae ngaahi ʻofefine ʻoku fasi hiva;

5 yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets;

‌ʻOka nau ka manavahē foki ki he meʻa māʻolunga, pea ʻoku ʻi he hala ʻae ngaahi fakailifia, pea ʻe matamatalelei ʻae ʻakau ko e alamoni, pea ʻe mamafa ʻae heʻe, pea ʻe ʻosi ʻae tokanga: koeʻuhi ʻoku ʻalu ʻae tangata ki hono nofoʻanga tolonga, pea ʻoku ʻalu fano ʻi he ngaahi hala ʻae kau tangilāulau:

6 before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

‌ʻI he teʻeki vete ʻae afo siliva, pe laiki ʻae ipu koula, pe maumauʻi ʻae ipu ohu ʻi he veʻe matavai, pe maumauʻi ʻae meʻa tākai ʻi he ngutu ʻoe vaikeli.

7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Ka ʻe toki liliu ʻae efu ki he kelekele ʻo hangē ko ʻene ʻi ai: pea ʻe foki atu ʻae laumālie ki he ʻOtua ʻaia naʻa ne foaki ia.

8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”

“Vaʻinga ʻoe vaʻinga,” ʻoku pehē ʻe he Malanga. “ʻOku vaʻinga ʻae meʻa kotoa pē.”

9 Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

Pea ko eni, koeʻuhi naʻe poto lahi ʻae Malanga, ko ia naʻa ne akonakiʻi ai ʻae kakai ki he poto; ʻio, naʻa ne tokanga lahi ʻo ne kumi atu mo ne fokotuʻu ʻae ngaahi lea fakatātā lahi.

10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

Naʻe kumi ʻe he Malanga ke ne maʻu ʻae lea lelei: pea ko ia kuo tohi ʻoku totonu ia, pea ko e ngaahi lea ia ʻoe moʻoni.

11 The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

Ko e ngaahi lea ʻae poto ʻoku tatau ia mo e meʻa māsila, mo e faʻo ʻoku tuki ke maʻu ʻe he ʻEiki ʻoe ngaahi fakataha, ʻaia ʻoku foaki mei he tauhi pe taha.

12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Pea ko eni, ʻE hoku foha, ke valokiʻi koe ʻe he ngaahi meʻa ni: ʻoku ʻikai hano ngataʻanga ʻoe ngaohi ʻoe tohi; pea ko e lau lahi ʻi he tohi ko e meʻa fakamāfasia ia ki he kakano.

13 This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

Ke tau fanongo ki he fakaʻosi ʻoe ngaahi meʻa ni kotoa pē: Ke ke manavahē ki he ʻOtua, pea ke fai ki heʻene ngaahi fekau: he ʻoku kātoa ʻi he meʻa ni ʻae ngāue totonu ʻae tangata.

14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

Koeʻuhi ʻe ʻomi ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae ngāue kotoa pē ki he fakamaau, mo e meʻa fufū kotoa pē, pe ko ha meʻa lelei ia pe kovi.