Kekahuna 1
1 O NA olelo a ke kahuna, a ke keiki a Davida, oia ke alii ma Ierusalema.
The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
2 Lapuwale o na lapuwale, wahi a ke kahuna; lapuwale o na lapuwale, pau loa na mea i ka lapuwale.
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
3 Heaha ka uku i ke kanaka i ka hana a pau ana i hana'i malalo iho o ka la?
What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
4 Hele aku la kekahi hanauna, a hele mai la kekahi hanauna; aka, ua mau no ka honua.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
5 Puka mai ka la, a napoo ka la, a wikiwiki aku la ia ma kona wahi i puka mai ai.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
6 Puhi aku la ka makani i ke kukulu hema, a huli mai la ia i ke kukulu akau; huli ae la ia io, a io; a hoi hou ka makani i kona wahi i puhi ai.
Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
7 Kahe aku la na muliwai a pau i ke kai, aole nae i piha ke kai; i kahi a lakou i kahe mai ai, malaila lakou e hoi hou aku ai.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
8 He mea luhi na olelo a pau, aole hiki i ke kanaka ke hai aku; aole i ana ka maka i ka ike ana, aole hoi i piha ka pepeiao i ka lohe ana.
All things weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 O na mea mamua, oia na mea e hiki mai ana; a o na mea i hanaia, oia na mea e hanaia mahope aku nei: aohe mea hou malalo iho o ka la.
That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 No kekahi mea e hiki anei ke olelo mai, Eia! he mea hou keia? he mea no ia i ka wa kahiko mamua loa o kakou.
If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which were before us.
11 Aole i hoomanaoia mai na mea kahiko; a o na mea e hiki mai ana, aole e hoomanaoia ia mau mea e ka poe mahope aku.
[Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
12 Owau o ke kahuna, ua noho au i alii maluna o ka Iseraela ma Ierusalema.
I Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Ua haawi au i ko'u naau e imi, a e huli me ka noeau i na mea a pau i hanaia malalo iho o ka lani. He mea kaumaba loa keia a ke Akua i haawi mai ai i na keiki a kanaka e hana'i.
And I directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves therewith.
14 Ua ike au i na mea a pau i hanaia malalo iho o ka lani, aia hoi, he mau mea lapuwale ia a pau a me ka luhi hewa.
I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
15 O na mea kekee, aole ia e hoopololeiia; a o ka mea nele, aole hiki ke helu aku.
What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
16 Ua kukakuka au me ko'u naau iho, a i iho la, Ka! ua hookiekieia'ku au, a ua hoonui au i ka naauao mamua o na mea a pau ma Ierusalema; a ua hoomaopopo aku ko'u naau i ka noeau, a me ka ike.
I spoke with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17 A haawi au i ko'u naau e ike i ka naauao, a e ike no hoi i ka uhauha, a me ka lapuwale; a ike iho la au, he mea luhi hewa ia.
And I directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the spirit.
18 No ka mea, ma ka naauao nui, malaila ke kaumaha; a o ka mea i hoonui i ka ike, hoonui no ia i ka eha.
For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
