1¶ Na ka tahuri ahau, a ka titiro ki nga tukinotanga katoa e mahia nei i raro i te ra: na ko nga roimata o te hunga i tukinotia, kahore hoki o ratou kaiwhakamarie; a he kaha kei te ringa o o ratou kaitukino, otiia kahore o ratou kaiwhakamarie.
1And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.
2Na, ko taku whakamoemiti ki te hunga mate kua mate noa ake, nui atu i taku ki te hunga ora e ora nei.
2Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;
3Engari ia pai atu i a raua te tangata kahore ano i whanau noa, kahore ano i kite noa i te mahi he e mahia nei i raro i te ra.
3and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4¶ Na ka kite ahau i te mauiui katoa, i nga mahi tohunga katoa, he mea hoki tenei e hae ai te tangata ki tona hoa. He horihori ano hoki tenei, a he whai kau i te hau.
4And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
5Ko te wairangi, kei te kotui i ona ringa, a kainga ana e ia ona kikokiko ake.
5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6He pai ke te ringa ki i runga i te ata noho, i nga ringa ki e rua, ki te mea he ruha, he whai noa i te hau.
6Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.
7¶ Katahi ahau ka tahuri, a ka kite i te horihori i raro i te ra.
7And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8He tangata tera, ko ia anake, kahore hoki ona tokorua; ae ra, kahore ano hoki ana tama, ona tuakana, teina ranei; heoi kahore he mutunga o tana mahi katoa, e kore ano hoki ona kanohi e makona i nga taonga. Na ka mea ia, Ki a wai toku whakaaro i a hau ka mahi nei, ka whakatiki nei i toku wairua ki te pai? He horihori ano tenei, he raruraru kino.
8There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.
9Erangi te tokorua i te kotahi; no te mea ka whiwhi raua ki te utu pai i ta raua mahi.
9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10Ki te hinga hoki tetahi, ma tona hoa ia e whakaara: aue, te mate mo te kotahi, ina hinga, ki te kahore te whakatokorua hei whakaara i a ia!
10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!
11Ki te takoto tahi ano nga tokorua, ka mahana raua; he tangata kotahi ia, ma te aha ka mahana ai tona kotahi?
11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?
12Ki te kaha tetahi i a ia kotahi nei, ka maia te tokorua ki a ia; e kore hoki te aho takitoru e motu wawe.
12And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13¶ Pai ake te tamaiti rawakore, whakaaro nui i te kingi kua koroheketia, kua wairangi, kua kore nei ona mohio ki te whakarongo ina whakatupatoria.
13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.
14I puta mai hoki tera i roto i te whare herehere, hei kingi; ae ra, ahakoa i roto i tona whenua i kingi ai, i whanau rawakore mai ia.
14For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.
15I kite ahau i te hunga ora katoa e haere nei i raro i te ra, kei te tama ratou, kei te tuarua, kua tu nei i te tunga o tera.
15I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.
16Kahore he mutunga o te iwi katoa, ara o te hunga ko ia nei to ratou ariki; na e kore o muri iho i a ia e koa ki a ai. He pono, he horihori ano hoki tenei a he whai kau i te hau.
16[There is] no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.