Kekahuna 12
1 E HOOMANAO oe i kou Mea nana i hana, I na la o kou noho opiopio ana; Oi hiki ole mai na la ino, A hookokoke ole ia mai na makahiki, Au e olelo ai, Aole o'u oluolu i keia mau mea:
Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 I ka wa i pouli ole ai ka la, a me ka malamalama, O ka mahina hoi a me na hoku; A hoi ole mai na ao mahope o ka ua:
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;
3 I ka la i haalulu ai na kiai hale, A kulou ilalo na kanaka ikaika; A oki ka poe wili no ka hapa, A i pouli ai na mea nana ma na puka makani;
In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see;
4 A paniia na puka ma ke alanui, I ka wa i uuku mai ai ka leo o ka wili ana; A e ala ae oia i ka leo o ka manu, A e hoohaahaaia na kaikamahine lea i ke oli a pau.
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
5 A makau lakou i na mea kiekie; Aia hoi ma ke alanui na mea e weliweli ai, Ua hoopailua hoi ka laau alemona, A o ka uhini, he mea ia e kaumaha ai, A lilo no hoi ka hua kepa i mea mikomiko ole; No ka mea, hele ke kanaka i kona hale mau, A hele ka poe kanikau ma na alanui:
And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets;
6 Oi moku ole ia ke kaula kala, Aole hoi i naha ke kiaha gula; Aole naha ka bakeke ma ka punawai, Aole hoi i naha ke kaa ma ka luawai.
Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;
7 Alaila, e hoi ka lepo i ka honua e like me ia mamua, A o ka uhane, e hoi ia i ke Akua nana ia i haawi mai.
And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
8 Lapuwale o na lapuwale, wahi a ke kahuna, pau na mea i ka lapuwale.
All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
9 Eia hoi kekahi: I ko ke kahuna naauao ana, ua ao mau aku oia i na kanaka; ua noonoo oia, a imi, a hooponopono hoi i na olelo akamai he nui hoa.
And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.
10 Ua imi iho la ke kahuna e loaa mai na olelo oluolu, a o na mea i kakauia, he olelo pololei ia a me ka oiaio hoi.
The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
11 O na olelo a ka poe naauao, ua like ia me na mea oi, a me na kui i makiaia a paa e ka poe luna o ka ahakanaka, na mea i haawiia'ku ai e ke kahu hookahi.
The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.
12 Eia hoi kekahi: E aoia mai oe, e ka'u keiki, e keia mau mea; o ka hana ana i na buke he nui loa, he mea hope ole ia, a o ka imi nui i ka palapala, he mea ia e luhi ai ke kino.
And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.
13 E hoolohe oe i ka hope o keia mau mea a pau. E makau i ke Akua, a e malama i kona mau kanawai, no ka mea. oia ka ke kanaka [pono] a pau.
This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
14 No ka mea, e hookomo ana ke Akua i na hana a pau, a me na mea a pau i hunaia iloko o ka hookolokoloia, ina paha he pono, ina paha he hewa.
God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.
