Kekahuna 4
1 A LAILA, haliu au a ike aku la i na mea luhi i hanaia malalo iho o ka la, aia hoi, na waimaka o ka poe i hooluhiia, aohe mea nana lakou e kokua mai; a ma ka aoao o ka poe nana lakou i hooluhi, he ikaika; aka, aohe mea nana lakou e kokua mai.
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of [such as were] oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors [there was] power; but they had no comforter.
2 No ia mea, hoomaikai aku la au i ka poe make, ka poe i make i ka wa i hala aku nei, mamua o ka poe ola, ka poe ola i keia wa e noho nei kakou.
Wherefore I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive.
3 Oia hoi, ua oi aku mamua o laua a elua ka maikai o ka mea i hanau ole ia, ka mea i ike ole i ka hana ino i hanaia malalo iho o ka la.
Yes, better is [he] than both they, who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 Ua ike au i na mea luhi a pau, a me na hana pololei a pau, aia hoi, no ia mau mea, ua huahuaia mai ke kanaka e kona hoalauna. He mea lapuwale keia a me ka luhi hewa.
Again, I considered all labor, and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 Ua hookui mai la ka mea naaupo i kona mau lima, a ai iho la i kona io iho.
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 Ua oi aku ka piha ana o ka lima hookahi me ka noho oluolu mamua o ko na lima elua me ka hana kaumaha, a me ka luhi hewa.
Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] toil and vexation of spirit.
7 Alaila, haliu hou ae la au, a ike i ka mea lapuwale malalo iho o ka la.
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8 Aia, he mea hookahi, aole ona lua, aole ana keiki, aole ona hoahanau; aka, o kana hana ana, aole e pau, aole pili iki kona mau maka i ka nana i ka waiwai, aole ia i ninau iho, No wai ko'u e hana nei, a i hoonele i ko'u uhane i ka maikai? He mea lapuwale keia, a he mea luhi loa no hoi.
There is one [alone], and [there is] not a second; yes, he hath neither child nor brother: yet [is there] no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither [saith he], For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This [is] also vanity, yes, it [is] a grievous labor.
9 Ua oi aku ka maikai o na mea elua mamua o ka mea hoohahi; no ka mea, ia laua ka uku maikai no ka laua hana ana.
Two [are] better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 No ka mea, ina e haule kekahi, e hoala kekahi i kona hoa; aka, auwe hoi ka mea hookahi i kona haule ana, no ka mea, aohe mea nana ia e hooala mai.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him [that is] alone when he falleth; for [he hath] not another to help him to rise.
11 Ina i moe pu na mea elua e pumehana no laua; aka hoi, pehea a mehana ai ka mea hookahi?
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm [alone]?
12 Ina e hana eha ia mai kekahi, e hiki no i na mea elua ke lanakila maluna o ia mea, a o ke kaula kaakolu, aole ia e moku koke.
And if one prevaileth against him, two shall withstand him; and a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Oi aku ka maikai o ke keiki ilihune me ka naauao, mamua o ke alii elemakule me ka naaupo, ka mea hiki ole ke aoia mai.
Better [is] a poor and a wise child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14 No ka mea, puka mai ia mai ka hale hooluhi o alii ai; aka, o ka mea i hanau alii ia ua lilo ia i mea ilihune.
For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also [he that is] born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15 Ike iho la au i ka poe ola a pau e hele ana malalo iho o ka la, me ka lua o ke keiki, i ku i kona hakahaka.
I considered all the living who walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16 Aole pau i ka heluia na kanaka, ka poe mamua o lakou; a o ka poe mahope, aole lakou olioli ia ia. He mea lapu wale keia, a me ka luhi hewa.
[There is] no end of all the people, [even] of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
