Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
Ni tlim ah sak ih pacaekthlaekhaihnawk to ka khet moe, ka poek let bae naah; khenah, pacaekthlaekhaih tongh kaminawk loe qah o, toe pathloepkung tawn o ai; kami pacaekthlaek kaminawk loe sakthaihaih tha to tawnh o, toe pacaelthlaek ih kaminawk loe pathloepkung tawn o ai.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
To pongah kadueh tangcae kaminawk loe, kahing kaminawk pongah tahamhoih o kue, tiah ka thuih.
3 Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Ue, kaom vai ai, ni tlim ah sak ih sethaih hmuen hnu vai ai kami loe to kaminawk pongah tahamhoih kue.
4 Then I saw all the labour and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Kami mah a imtaeng kami to ut pongah ni, patanghaih hoiah tok a sak, tiah ka hnuk. Hae hmuen doeh azom pui ni, takhi hnuk tapom rumramhaih ah ni oh.
5 The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.
Kamthu loe a ban to pakhuem moe, angmah ih angan to caak.
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labour and chasing after wind.
Patanghaih hoiah toksak moe, ban hnetto koiah hmuen tawnh pacoengah, takhi hnukah patom rumram pongah loe, kamding rue ah toksak moe, ban tamsum maeto hmuen tawnh to hoih kue.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
To pacoengah ni tlim ah kaom azom pui hmuen to ka hnuk let bae vop.
8 There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labour and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
Kami maeto loe ampui tawn ai, caa sah ai moe, nawkamya doeh tawn ai, angmabueng khosak, toe toksak patanghaih to boeng thai ai; a tawnh ih hmuennawk to khet boep thai ai; kai loe kaimah hoi kaimah pacaekthlaek kami ah ni ka oh moe, kaimah ih khosak hoihaih to poek ai ah, minawk han ih maw patanghaih hoiah tha ka pathok moeng, tiah anih mah poek vai ai. Hae hmuen doeh azom pui ni, patangkhang rumramhaih ah ni oh.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour.
Hnetto loe maeto pongah hoih kue; nihnik mah toksak azom hoi nahaeloe, toksakhaih atho to hnu hoi hmaek tih.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.
Maeto amtim nahaeloe ampui mah anih to pathawk tih; toe bomkung tawn ai ah angmabueng ah amtimh kami loe khosak bing!
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?
Kami hnetto nawnto angsong hoi nahaeloe, bae um tih! Toe angmabueng ah angsong nahaeloe, kawbangmaw bae thai tih?
12 If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Kalah kami mah maeto han hmaang naah nihnik loe angbomh hoi tih; aqui thumto ah zet ih qui loe apet han rai.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.
Thuitaekhaih koeh ai siangpahrang kamthu mitong pongah loe, palungha mithoe nawkta to hoih kue.
14 For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
Kami loe thongkrah cadoeh, siangpahrang ah angcoeng thaih; siangpahrang imthung ah tapen cadoeh amtang thaih.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.
Ni tlim ah kahing khosah kaminawk loe, siangpahrang qawktoep han kazing, kami hnukah ni bang o boih, tiah ka poek.
16 There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Anih loe angmah hmaa ih kroeklaek ai kami nuiah siangpahrang ah oh, toe angzo han koi kaminawk loe siangpahrang nuiah anghoe o poe mak ai. Hae hmuen doeh azom pui ah ni oh tangtang, takhi hnukah patom ramrum baktiah ni oh.
