Ecclesiastes 4

1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.

Hahoi, kanî rahim vah sak e pacekpahleknae naw pueng bout ka pouk. Pacekpahleknae ka khang e taminaw ni a khuika ei nakunghai, hloutnae ka poe thai e tami awm hoeh. Ka pacekpahlek e taminaw teh bahu a tawn dawk hloutnae ka poe thai e tami awm hoeh.

2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.

Hateiteh, kadout tangcoung e tami teh kahring rae tami hlak hoe yawhawinae ao telah a ti.

3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.

Hatdawkvah, vai touh hai kaawm hoeh e tami, kanî rahim sak e yonnae kahmawt hoeh rae tami teh hote kahni touh hlak hoe yawhawinae ao.

4 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.

Hahoi, panki thapathonae hoi kahawicalah pâbaw e hnonaw pueng dawk hai thoseh, hot patetlah e hno dawkvah alouke tami ni hmuhmanae thoseh, kai ni ka pouk. Hote hno teh ahrawnghrang e hno kahlî man e hoi doeh a kâvan.

5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.

Tami pathu ni teh a kut a kâtapam teh, amae a tak hah letlang a ca.

6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”

Roumnae hoi hmu e kutvang touh e hno teh, tawnta laihoi kahlî man laihoi hmu e kutkarum touh e hno hlak bet ahawihnawn.

7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.

Hahoi, kanî rahim ahrawnghrang e hno bout ka pouk navah,

8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.

tami teh a huiko, a canaw, a hmaunawnghanaw tawn hoeh, ama dueng kaawm ei nakunghai, panki thapathonae baw thai hoeh. A hno hmunae dawkvah lungkuep thai hoeh. Kai ni mahoima ka yue teh api hane maw ka panki aw telah ka pacei boihoeh. Hete haiyah ahrawnghrang tawntam nah hrum doeh.

9 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.

Tami teh madueng hlak tami kahni touh bet ahawi. Tawk pawiteh kahawie tawkphu a hmu.

10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.

Buet touh rawm pawiteh buet touh ni a pathaw han. Buet touh dueng e tami rawm pawiteh ahawinae awm hoeh. Kapathawkung awm mahoeh.

11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.

Tami teh kahni touh rei ip pawiteh a phubet han. Madueng teh bangtelamaw phubet thai han.

12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].

Tami buet touh ni buet touh tâ pawiteh ahni hah tami kahni touh ni a ngang thai. Rui kathum touh hoi pakhit e tangron teh kayawicalah thawk thai hoeh.

13 A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.

Tounnae ka ngai hoeh e, a kum kacue ka pathu e siangpahrang hlak, a lungkaang e mathoe camo teh aphuohnawn.

14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.

Thongim hoi siangpahrang koe ka phat e hai, a uknaeram dawk mathoe lah doeh a khe.

15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.

Kanî rahim kaawm e taminaw pueng e kong ka pouk navah, ahnimouh thung dawk siangpahrang hmuen ka coe hane, camo ao awh e hah ka panue.

16 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.

Hote siangpahrang ni a uk e taminaw pueng parei thai kawi lah awm hoeh. A hnukkhu lah ka tho e taminaw ni hai hote siangpahrang hah a lungkuep thai awh mahoeh. Atangcalah, hote hno hai ahrawnghrang e hno, kahlî man e hoi doeh a kâvan.