1¶ He taima ano kua takoto mo nga mea katoa, me te wa mo nga meatanga katoa i raro i te rangi:
1For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2He wa e whanau ai, he wa e mate ai; he wa e whakato ai, he wa e hutia ai te mea i whakatokia;
2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3He wa e patu ai, he wa e rongoa ai; he wa e wawahi iho ai, he wa e hanga ake ai;
3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4He wa e tangi ai, he wa e kata ai; he wa e aue ai, he wa e kanikani ai;
4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5He wa e akiritia atu ai nga kohatu, he wa e kohikohia ai nga kohatu; he wa e awhi ai, he wa e kore ai e awhi;
5a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6He wa e rapu ai, he wa e ngaro ai; he wa e tiaki ai; he wa e akiri atu ai;
6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7He wa e haehae ai, he wa e tuitui ai; he wa e whakarongo puku ai, he wa e korero ai;
7a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8He wa e aroha ai, he wa e mauahara ai; he wa e whawhai ai, he wa e mau ai te rongo.
8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9He aha te pai ki te kaimahi i tana mea i mauiui ai ia?
9What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
10Kua kite ahau i te raruraru e homai ana e te Atua ki nga tama a te tangata hei whakararu i a ratou.
10I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
11¶ I hanga e ia nga mea katoa kia ataahua i tona wa ano: a i whakanohoia e ia te ao ki o ratou ngakau, engari kia kaua te tangata e kite i ta te Atua mahi i mahi ai, mai i te timatanga a taea noatia te mutunga.
11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12E mohio ana ahau kahore he mea pai atu mo ratou i te ngakau hari, i te mahi i te pai i a ratou e ora ana.
12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
13A he mea hoki na te Atua kia kai nga tangata katoa, kia inu, kia kite ano hoki i te pai o to ratou mauiui katoa.
13Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
14E mohio ana ahau ko nga mea katoa e hanga ana e te Atua, ka mau tonu a ake ake: e kore tetahi mea e honoa mai, e kore ano hoki tetahi wahi e tangohia atu: i meatia hoki e te Atua kia wehi ai nga tangata i tona aroaro.
14I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
15Ko to mua mea koia ano tenei inaianei; na, ko te mea e puta mai a mua kua puta noa ake; e rapua ana ano e te Atua te mea onamata.
15That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.
16¶ Na i kitea ano e ahau i raro i te ra, ko te wahi o te whakawa i reira ia te kino; a ko te wahi o te tika ko te kino i reira.
16Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
17Ka mea ahau i roto i toku ngakau, Tera e whakawakia e te Atua te tangata tika raua ko te tangata kino: no te mea kua takoto te wa i reira mo nga meatanga katoa, mo nga mahi katoa.
17I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18I mea ahau i roto i toku ngakau, Na te mea mo nga tama a te tangata, he mea na te Atua hei whakaatu i a ratou, kia kite ai ratou he pera noa iho ratou i te kararehe.
18I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
19Ko te mea hoki e pa ana ki nga tama a te tangata, e pa ana ki nga kararehe; kotahi tonu te mea e pa ana ki a ratou; ko te matenga o tetahi rite tonu ki te matenga o tetahi; ae ra, kotahi tonu ano manawa o ratou katoa; kihai hoki te tangata i hip a ake i te kararehe; he horihori hoki te katoa.
19For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.
20E haere ana te katoa ki te wahi kotahi; no te puehu nei te katoa, ka hoki ano te katoa ki te puehu.
20All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21Ko wai e matau ana ki te wairua o te tangata, e haere ana ranei ki runga, ki te wairua ranei o te kararehe, mehemea ranei e heke iho ana ki raro ki te whenua?
21Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
22Na ka kite ahau kahore he pai nui atu i tenei, ara kia koa te tangata ki ana mahi; ko te wahi hoki tera mana: ma wai ia e whakahoki mai, e mea kia kite i nga mea e puta mai i muri i a ia?
22Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?