Phungdeikung 1
1 Devit capa, phungdeikung Jerusalem siangpahrang ni a dei e lawk teh,
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2 Ahrawnghrang doeh, ahrawnghrang doeh. Bangpueng hai ahrawnghrang doeh.
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3 Kanî rahim vah tami ni a tawksak e pueng bang hawinae maw kaawm.
What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4 Se buet touh aloum teh se alouke bout a tâco. Hatei, talai teh a kangning.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5 Kanî a tâco teh bout a khup. Hatei, a tâconae koehoi bout bout a tâco.
The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6 Kahlî haiyah a kâheinae koe lah bout bout a kâhei.
Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
7 Tuipuinaw a lawng teh talîpui dawk koung a kâcu eiteh kawi hoeh. Talîpui teh a lawngnae koelah bout bout a ban.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8 Bangpueng hai tami ni dei thai hoeh totouh patangnae a kâhmo. Mit ni a khet eiteh hmawt thai hoeh. Hnâ ni a thai eiteh boum thai hoeh.
All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
9 Hno kaawm tangcoung e hai bout kaawm hane hoi a kâvan. Atu sak e hai bout sak hane hoi a kâvan. Kanî rahim vah hno katha awm hoeh.
What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
10 Khenhaw! hno katha buet tabang ao maw awm hoeh, ayan vah yo kaawm tangcoung e doeh.
Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.
11 Ayan kaawm boi e hnonaw ouk pahnim thai awh. Ka tho hane naw hai ka tho hane naw ni bout a pahnim awh han.
There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
12 Kai, phungdeikung, Jerusalem khopui dawk Isarel siangpahrang lah ka o nah,
I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
13 Kanî rahim vah sakyoe e pueng thoumthainae lahoi pakhingpalang lungthin ka tawng. Cathut ni taminaw koe khoram sak nahanelah a patangpalai sak.
And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
14 Kanî rahim e hnosak e pueng ka hmu toe. Bangpueng ahrawnghrang doeh. Kahlî ka man e hoi doeh a kâvan.
I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15 Ka longkawi e teh palan thai hoeh. Kamko e hno teh touk mahoeh.
The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
16 Kama hoi kama ka kâdei e teh, kai teh Jerusalem kauknaw pueng hlakvah ka talue, ka lung a ang, ka lungthin ni lungangnae hah alawkpui lah a kamtu.
I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 Lungangnae hoi pathunae, polainae pakhingpalang ka tawn. Hot naw haiyah, kahlî man e patetlah doeh ao.
And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,
18 Lungangnae apap nah, lungreithainae a pap. Thoumthainae apapnae koe lungmathoenae hoe a pap.
Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
