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.
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 Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
Kai tah aka hing pueng amih hlang hing rhoek lakah aka duek tangtae hlang duek rhoek te ka domyok sak mai.
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.
Te rhoi lakah khaw, aka om hlan neh khomik hmuikah khoboe thae a saii aka hmuh pawt te then duen.
4 Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after 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 fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.
Aka ang loh a kut te a poem tih amah saa te a caak.
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.
thakthaenah neh khohli doinah kutnarhum a bae lakah kutvang dongkah aka bae mongnah he then ngai.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
Ka mael vaengah he khomik hmuiah a honghi ni ka hmuh.
8 There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
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 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
Pakhat lakah panit he then, amih ham tah a thakthaenah dongah khaw thapang then om coeng.
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.
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 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?
Panit a yalh rhoi vaengah tah amah rhoi khaw bae dae pakhat tah metlam a bae eh?
12 If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Anih te khat khat loh khulae mai cakhaw a taengah ah panit la pai rhoi thai. Rhuihet pathum a yaep tah a yoei la a pat moenih.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.
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 he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was 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 walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.
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 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.
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.
