Kaikauwhau 4
1 Na ka tahuri ahau, a ka titiro ki nga tukinotanga katoa e mahia nei i raro i te ra: na ko nga roimata o te hunga i tukinotia, kahore hoki o ratou kaiwhakamarie; a he kaha kei te ringa o o ratou kaitukino, otiia kahore o ratou kaiwhakamarie.
Then I turned and saw all the oppressions which take place under the sun; and, behold, there were the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors there was violence, and they had no comforter.
2 Na, ko taku whakamoemiti ki te hunga mate kua mate noa ake, nui atu i taku ki te hunga ora e ora nei.
Therefore I praised the dead, who have been long ago dead, more than the living, who are yet alive.
3 Engari ia pai atu i a raua te tangata kahore ano i whanau noa, kahore ano i kite noa i te mahi he e mahia nei i raro i te ra.
Yea, better than both of them is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work which is done under the sun.
4 Na ka kite ahau i te mauiui katoa, i nga mahi tohunga katoa, he mea hoki tenei e hae ai te tangata ki tona hoa. He horihori ano hoki tenei, a he whai kau i te hau.
And I saw all labor, and all success in work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
5 Ko te wairangi, kei te kotui i ona ringa, a kainga ana e ia ona kikokiko ake.
The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh.
6 He pai ke te ringa ki i runga i te ata noho, i nga ringa ki e rua, ki te mea he ruha, he whai noa i te hau.
Better is a hand full of quietness, than both hands full of weariness and striving after wind.
7 Katahi ahau ka tahuri, a ka kite i te horihori i raro i te ra.
Then I turned and saw other vanity under the sun.
8 He tangata tera, ko ia anake, kahore hoki ona tokorua; ae ra, kahore ano hoki ana tama, ona tuakana, teina ranei; heoi kahore he mutunga o tana mahi katoa, e kore ano hoki ona kanohi e makona i nga taonga. Na ka mea ia, Ki a wai toku whakaaro i a hau ka mahi nei, ka whakatiki nei i toku wairua ki te pai? He horihori ano tenei, he raruraru kino.
There is one who is alone, and no one with him; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end to all his labor, and his eye is not satisfied with riches. “For whom, then [[saith he]], do I labor and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity; yea, it is an evil thing!
9 Erangi te tokorua i te kotahi; no te mea ka whiwhi raua ki te utu pai i ta raua mahi.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 Ki te hinga hoki tetahi, ma tona hoa ia e whakaara: aue, te mate mo te kotahi, ina hinga, ki te kahore te whakatokorua hei whakaara i a ia!
For if they fall, the one will lift his fellow up; but woe to him who is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to help him up!
11 Ki te takoto tahi ano nga tokorua, ka mahana raua; he tangata kotahi ia, ma te aha ka mahana ai tona kotahi?
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat; but how can one be warm alone?
12 Ki te kaha tetahi i a ia kotahi nei, ka maia te tokorua ki a ia; e kore hoki te aho takitoru e motu wawe.
And if an enemy prevail against one, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Pai ake te tamaiti rawakore, whakaaro nui i te kingi kua koroheketia, kua wairangi, kua kore nei ona mohio ki te whakarongo ina whakatupatoria.
Better is a child poor but wise, than a king old and foolish, who will no more be admonished.
14 I puta mai hoki tera i roto i te whare herehere, hei kingi; ae ra, ahakoa i roto i tona whenua i kingi ai, i whanau rawakore mai ia.
For out of prison cometh forth such a one to reign; for in his own kingdom he was born a poor man.
15 I kite ahau i te hunga ora katoa e haere nei i raro i te ra, kei te tama ratou, kei te tuarua, kua tu nei i te tunga o tera.
I saw that all the living, who walk under the sun, were with the child who stood up in his stead.
16 Kahore he mutunga o te iwi katoa, ara o te hunga ko ia nei to ratou ariki; na e kore o muri iho i a ia e koa ki a ai. He pono, he horihori ano hoki tenei a he whai kau i te hau.
There was no end to all the people before whom he went forth; yet they that come afterwards shall not rejoice in him. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
