Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast thy bread-corn, upon the face of the waters, —for, after many days, shalt thou find it:

Lii atu hoʻo mā ki he fukahi vai: he ka hili ʻae ngaahi ʻaho lahi te ke toe ʻilo ia.

2 Give a portion to seven, yea even to eight, —for thou canst not know, what there shall be of misfortune, upon the earth.

Tufa ʻae ʻinasi ki he toko fitu, pea ki he toko valu foki; he ʻoku ʻikai te ke ʻilo ʻae kovi ʻe hoko ki he māmani.

3 If the clouds be filled with a downpour, upon the earth, will they empty themselves, and, if a tree fall in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there will it be found.

‌ʻOka pito ʻae ngaahi ʻao ʻi he ʻuha, ʻoku fakamaha ia ki he kelekele: pea kapau ʻe hinga ha ʻakau ki he feituʻu tonga pe ki he tokelau, ko e potu ʻoku hinga ki ai ʻae ʻakau, ʻe ʻi ai pe ia.

4 He that observeth the wind, will not sow, —and, he that watcheth the clouds, will not reap.

Ko ia ʻoku faʻa sio ki he matangi ʻe ʻikai te ne tūtuuʻi; pea ko ia ʻoku faʻa tokanga ki he ngaahi ʻao ʻe ʻikai te ne utu mai.

5 Just as thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, when the body is in the womb of her that is with child, even, so, canst thou not know the work of God, who maketh all.

‌ʻO hangē ko hoʻo taʻeʻilo ki he anga ʻoe laumālie, mo e tupu ʻoe hui ʻi he manāva ʻoʻona ʻoku feitama: ʻoku pehē, ʻoku ʻikai te ke ʻilo ʻae ngāue ʻae ʻOtua ʻaia ʻoku ne ngaohi ʻae meʻa kotoa pē.

6 In the morning, sow thy seed, and, until evening, do not withhold thy hand, —for thou knowest not—whether shall thrive, either this or that, or whether, both alike, shall be fruitful.

Tūtuuʻi hoʻo tenga ʻi he pongipongi, pea ʻi he efiafi ʻoua naʻa taʻofi ho nima: he ʻoku ʻikai te ke ʻilo pe ko e fē ʻe tupu lelei, ʻa eni pe ko ʻena, pe te na lelei fakatouʻosi pe.

7 Truly sweet is the light, —and, pleasant to the eyes, to see the sun:

Ko e moʻoni, ko e meʻa lelei fau ʻae maama, pea ko e meʻa fakafiefia ke sio ʻae mata ki he laʻā:

8 But, though, many years, a man live, through them all, let him rejoice; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for many they may be, all that cometh, may be vanity.

Ka ko eni, kapau ʻe moʻui ha tangata ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi, ʻo ne fiefia ʻi ai kotoa pē; ka ʻoku lelei ke ne manatu foki ki he ngaahi ʻaho ʻoe fakapoʻuli; koeʻuhi ʻe lahi ia. Ko e meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku hoko mai ko e vaʻinga ia.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou—in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, —yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.

‌ʻE tangata talavou, ke ke fiefia ʻi hoʻo kei talavou, pea ke fakafiefiaʻi ho loto ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻo hoʻo kei talavou, pea ke ʻeveʻeva ʻi he anga ʻo ho loto, pea ʻi he holi ʻa ho mata ʻoʻou: ka ke ʻilo, ko e ngaahi meʻa ni kotoa pē ʻe ʻomi ai koe ʻe he ʻOtua ki he fakamaau.

10 Therefore remove thou vexation from thy heart, and put away discomfort from thy flesh, —for, youth and dawn, are vanity!

Ko ia ke ke hiki ai ʻae ʻita mei ho loto, mo e fai kovi mei ho kakano: he ko e kei tamasiʻi mo e kei talavou ko e vaʻinga ia.