< Kekahuna 4 >

1 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.
Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.
2 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.
Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.
3 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.
Yea, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 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.
Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 Ua hookui mai la ka mea naaupo i kona mau lima, a ai iho la i kona io iho.
The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
6 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.
Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
7 Alaila, haliu hou ae la au, a ike i ka mea lapuwale malalo iho o ka la.
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8 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.
There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, he says, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a great travail.
9 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.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 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.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.
11 Ina i moe pu na mea elua e pumehana no laua; aka hoi, pehea a mehana ai ka mea hookahi?
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone?
12 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.
And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 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.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who does not know how to receive admonition any more.
14 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.
For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
15 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.
I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, who stood up in his stead.
16 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.
There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

< Kekahuna 4 >