Kekahuna 1
1 O NA olelo a ke kahuna, a ke keiki a Davida, oia ke alii ma Ierusalema.
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 Lapuwale o na lapuwale, wahi a ke kahuna; lapuwale o na lapuwale, pau loa na mea i ka lapuwale.
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3 Heaha ka uku i ke kanaka i ka hana a pau ana i hana'i malalo iho o ka la?
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 Hele aku la kekahi hanauna, a hele mai la kekahi hanauna; aka, ua mau no ka honua.
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 Puka mai ka la, a napoo ka la, a wikiwiki aku la ia ma kona wahi i puka mai ai.
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
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.
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back 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 flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
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.
Everything becomes wearisome, and no one can explain it. The eye is not satisfied by what it sees, nor is the ear fulfilled by what it hears.
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.
Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. 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.
Is there anything about which it may be said, 'Look, this is new'? Whatever exists has already existed for a long time, during ages which came long 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.
No one seems to remember the things that happened in ancient times, and the things that happened much later and that will happen in the future will not likely be remembered either.”
12 Owau o ke kahuna, ua noho au i alii maluna o ka Iseraela ma Ierusalema.
I am the Teacher, and I have been 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.
I applied my mind to study and to search out by wisdom everything that is done under heaven. That search is a burdensome task that God has given to the children of mankind to be busy with.
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 have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
15 O na mea kekee, aole ia e hoopololeiia; a o ka mea nele, aole hiki ke helu aku.
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
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 have spoken to my heart saying, “Look, I have acquired greater wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My mind has seen great 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.
So I applied my heart to know wisdom and also madness and folly. I came to understand that this also was an attempt to shepherd the wind.
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 in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
