< Kekahuna 6 >
1 A IA no ka mea pono ole a'u i ike ai malalo iho o ka la, a he mea nui la maluna o na kanaka.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is great on men:
2 O ke kanaka ka mea a ke Akua i haawi mai ai i ka waiwai nona, a me ka lako me ka hanohano; aole nele iki kona uhane i na mea ana e makemake ai, aka hoi, aole i ae mai ke Akua e ai ia i keia mau mea, aka, ua aiia kana e ka malihini. He mea lapuwale keia, a he mea ino hoi.
[There is many] a man to whom God hath given riches, property, and honor, and nothing is wanting for his soul of all that he longeth for: yet God empowereth him not to eat thereof, but a stranger will consume it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 Ina i loaa i ke kanaka na keiki hookahi haneri, a ola ia i na makahiki he nui loa, aole okana mai na la o kona mau makahiki, aole nae i maona kona uhane i ka maikai, aole hoi ona wahi e kanuia'i; ke hai aku nei au, ua oi aku ka maikai o ke keiki oiliwale i kona.
If a man were to beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years were many, and his soul were not satisfied with what is good, and he have not had even a burial: then do I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 No ka mea, ua puka mai oia ma ka lapuwale, a hele aku la ia ma ka pouli, a ua uhiia kona inoa i ka pouli.
For in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.
5 Aole hoi ia i nana i ka la, aole oia i ike iki, ua oi aku ko ia nei oluolu i ko ia la.
Moreover it never saw the sun, and knew nothing: this hath more rest than the other.
6 Oia, ina e ola ia i na makahiki hookahi tausani ke paluaia, aole hoi oia i ike i ka maikai. Aole anei e hele na mea a pau i kahi hookahi?
Yea, though he were to live a thousand years twice told, and had not seen any good— doth not every one go to one place?
7 O na hana a pau a ke kanaka, na kona waha iho no ia, aole nae i maona kona opu.
All the toil of a man is for his mouth; and yet is his desire never filled.
8 Ma na mea hea i oi aku ai ka mea naauao mamua o ka mea naaupo? Heaha ka mea i loaa i ka ilihune, ka mea i ike i ka hele ana imua o ka poe ola?
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk [properly] before the living?
9 Ua oi aku ka maikai o ka ike maka ana mamua o ka hele ana'ku o ka manao. He mea lapuwale keia, a me ka luhi hewa.
Better is what one seeth with the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
10 O ka mea i hala aku nei, ua kapaia kona inoa, a o ke kanaka hoi ua ikeia oia, aole hiki ia ia ke ku e i ka mea mana mamua ona.
That which hath been is already called by its name, and it is known that he is a man: and he is not able to contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Nolaila, ua mahuahua ka lapuwale ma na mea he nui loa; a pehea la e pono ai ke kanaka?
For there are many things that increase vanity: what advantage [cometh thence] for man?
12 No ka mea, owai ka mea i ike i ka mea e pono ai ke kanaka i kona ola ana, i na la a pau o kona ola lapuwale ana i hoopau ai me he aka la; a owai hoi ka mea nana e hai aku i ke kanaka i na mea e hiki mai ana mahope ona malalo iho o ka la?
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, the number of the days of his vain life, that he should spend them as a shadow? for who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?