Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.
Ka mael tih khomik hmuikah a hnaemtaek rhoek boeih te ka sawt. Te te khomik hmuiah a saii uh tih a hnaemtaek rhoek kah mikphi aih ke, amih aka hloep ham khaw om pawh. Aka hnaemtaek rhoek kah kut ah tah a thadueng om tih a haemtaek rhoek te aka hloep om pawh.
2 So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;
Kai tah aka hing pueng amih hlang hing rhoek lakah aka duek tangtae hlang duek rhoek te ka domyok sak mai.
3 and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.
Te rhoi lakah khaw, aka om hlan neh khomik hmuikah khoboe thae a saii aka hmuh pawt te then duen.
4 Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
Thakthaenah cungkuem neh bibi thoemthainah cungkuem khaw ka hmuh coeng. Te dongah hlang loh a hui taengkah thatlainah he khaw a honghi neh khohli doinah mai ni.
5 The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.
Aka ang loh a kut te a poem tih amah saa te a caak.
6 Better a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.
thakthaenah neh khohli doinah kutnarhum a bae lakah kutvang dongkah aka bae mongnah he then ngai.
7 Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: —
Ka mael vaengah he khomik hmuiah a honghi ni ka hmuh.
8 Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
Hlang he pakhat bueng om tih a pabae a om moenih. Capa neh manuca khaw a taengah a om moenih. Te dongah a thakthaenah cungkuem dongah a bawtnah om pawh. A mik, a mik ah khuehtawn khaw hah pawh. U ham nim thakthaenah ka om tih, hnothen lamloh ka hinglu he a vaitah? He khaw a honghi neh boethae bibi coeng ni.
9 Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.
Pakhat lakah panit he then, amih ham tah a thakthaenah dongah khaw thapang then om coeng.
10 For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!
Cungku rhoi cakhaw pakhat loh a hui te a thoh. Tedae amah pakhat bueng ki aka cungku te khomap coeng tih anih aka thoh ham koep om pawh.
11 Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?
Panit a yalh rhoi vaengah tah amah rhoi khaw bae dae pakhat tah metlam a bae eh?
12 And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.
Anih te khat khat loh khulae mai cakhaw a taengah panit la pai rhoi thai. Rhuihet pathum a yaep tah a yoei la a pat moenih.
13 Better a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.
Khodaeng dae aka cueih camoe he patong tih aka ang manghai lakah then. Anih te koep thuituen ham khaw a ming moenih.
14 For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.
A pin nah im lamloh manghai taengla aka pawk khaw, a ram ah khodaeng la a cun khaw amah boeiloeih.
15 I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place: —
Khomik hmuiah aka pongpa mulhing boeih tah manghai yueng la aka pai camoe pabae taengah a pai te ka hmuh.
16 There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
Pilnam boeih ham te a bawtnah om pawh. Amah te cungkuem taengah a hmai la a om pah dae lamhnuk rhoek loh anih taengah ko a hoe uh moenih. He khaw a honghi neh khohli dongkah kohnek mai ni.
