Kaikauwhau 2
1 I mea ahau i roto i toku ngakau, Tena ra, ka whakamatauria koe e ahau ki te koa; na, te ahuareka mau. Heoi, he horihori ano hoki tenei.
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
2 Ko te kata, kiia iho e ahau he haurangi; ko te koa, He mahi aha tana?
I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I whai ahau i roto i toku ngakau me pehea te whakaahuareka i toku kikokiko ki te waina, me te whakahaere ano ia a toku ngakau i ahau i runga i te whakaaro nui; a me pehea taku hopu i te wairangi, kia kitea ra ano e ahau he aha ra tena mea pai a n ga tama a te tangata e mahia nei i raro i te rangi i nga ra katoa e ora nei ratou.
I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
4 I mahia e ahau etahi mahi nunui maku; i hanga e ahau etahi whare moku; i whakatokia e ahau etahi mara waina maku;
I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
5 I hanga e ahau etahi kari maku, me etahi mara rakau, whakatokia iho e ahau ki reira nga tu rakau katoa e whai hua ana.
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
6 I hanga e ahau he poka wai maku hei whakamakuku mai i reira i te ngahere, i te wahi i whakatupuria ai nga rakau.
I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
7 I hokona e ahau he pononga tane, he pononga wahine, a he pononga ano i whanau ki toku whare; he tini hoki aku kahui kau, aku kahui hipi, maha atu i a te hunga katoa i mua atu i ahau i Hiruharama.
I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
8 I amenea mai ano e ahau he hiriwa, he koura, me te taonga i rawe ki nga kingi, ki nga kawanatanga; i meatia ano e ahau he kaiwaiata tane, he kaiwaiata wahine, me nga ahuareka ano a nga tama a te tangata, te tini o te wahine iti.
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
9 Heoi kua nui ahau, neke noa ake ana aku i a te hunga katoa i mua ake i ahau i Hiruharama, me te mau ano hoki toku whakaaro nui.
So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
10 Ko nga mea katoa ano hoki i hiahiatia e oku kanohi, kihai i kaiponuhia e ahau i a raua, kihai ano i pehia e ahau toku ngakau i te meatanga atu ki tetahi whakahari; i hari hoki toku ngakau i oku ruhatanga katoa; a ko te wahi tenei maku o oku ruha tanga katoa.
Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 Katahi ahau ka titiro ki nga mahi katoa i mahia e oku ringa, ki te ruhatanga hoki i ruha ai ahau i te mahinga; nana, he horihori katoa, he whai kau i te hau, a kahore he hua pai i raro i te ra.
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
12 I anga ano ahau ki te matakitaki ki te whakaaro nui, ki te haurangi, ki te wairangi: he aha koia te mea e taea e te tangata e haere mai ana i muri i te kingi? heoi ano ko te mea kua oti noa ake.
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
13 Katahi ahau ka kite, hira ake te whakaaro nui i te wairangi; he pera hoki me te marama e hira ake ana i te pouri.
And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
14 Ko te tangata whakaaro nui, kei tona mahunga ona kanohi, a kei te pouri te wairangi e haere ana: otiia i kite ano ahau kotahi tonu te mea e pa ana ki a ratou katoa.
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
15 Katahi ahau ka ki ake i roto i toku ngakau: Ko te mea i pa ki te wairangi ka pa ano ki ahau nei ano hoki; he aha hoki oku whakaaro i nui ake ai? Na ko taku kianga ake i roto i toku ngakau, he horihori ano hoki tenei.
So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
16 No te mea kahore he maharatanga ki te tangata whakaaro nui, pera ano i te kore ki te wairangi a ake ake; ina hoki i nga ra e haere ake nei kua wareware noa kae nga mea katoa. Na, ko to te tangata whakaaro nui tona matenga, pera ano i to te waira ngi!
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
17 Na kua kino ahau ki te ora; no te mea he he ki ahau te mahi e mahia ana i raro i te ra: he horihori katoa hoki, he whai kau i te hau.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
18 I kino ano hoki ahau ki toku mauiui i mauiui ai ahau i raro i te ra: ina hoki me waiho iho e ahau ma te tangata i muri i ahau.
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19 Ko wai hoki e mohio ana hei tangata whakaaro nui ranei ia, hei wairangi ranei? otiia hei a ia te tikanga mo oku mauiui katoa i mauiui ai ahau, i nui ai ano hoki oku whakaaro i raro i te ra. He horihori ano hoki tenei.
And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
20 Na ka anga ahau, ka mea kia whakaparahako toku ngakau ki te mauiui katoa i mauiui ai ahau i raro i te ra.
So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
21 Tenei hoki tetahi tangata kei runga nei i te whakaaro nui tana mahi, kei runga i te matauranga, kei runga i te mohio; otiia ka waiho e ia hei wahi ma te tangata kihai nei i mahi. He horihori ano tenei, he he nui.
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
22 He aha oti te tukunga iho ki te tangata o tona mauiui katoa, o te ngana o tona ngakau i mauiui ai ia i raro i te ra?
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
23 He pouri kau hoki ona ra katoa, he ngakau mamae tona raruraru, e kore ano hoki tona ngakau e okioki i te po. Na he horihori ano hoki tenei.
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
24 Kahore he mea pai ma te tangata i tua atu i te kai, i te inu, i te mea kia whiwhi tona wairua i te pai i roto i tona mauiui. I kite ano hoki ahau i tenei, no te ringa o te Atua tenei.
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
25 Ko wai oti e nui atu tana kai, ko wai e reka ake i ahau?
For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
26 Ki te tangata hoki e pai ana ki to te Atua aroaro e homai ana e ia he whakaaro nui, he matauranga, he koa; ki te tangata hara ia e homai ana e ia he raruraru, ki te kohikohi, ki te amene mea mai, hei hoatutanga mana ki te tangata e pai ana ki to te Atua aroaro. He horihori ano hoki tenei, he whai i te hau.
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
