Ecclesiastes 1

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Ko nga kupu a te Kaikauwhau, ara a te tama a Rawiri, i kingi nei ki Hiruharama.

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

He tino horihori rawa, e ai ta te Kaikauwhau, he tino horihori rawa; he horihori katoa.

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

He aha te pai ki te tangata o tona mauiui katoa e mauiui ai ia i raro i te ra?

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

Ko tenei whakatupuranga e haere atu ana, ko tera whakatupuranga e haere mai ana: ko te whenua ia, mau tonu.

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

E whiti ana hoki te ra, e heke atu ana te ra, hohoro tonu atu ki tona wahi whiti mai ai.

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

E anga ana te hau ki te tonga, na ka taka ki te raki; he hanga takataka tonu tana i tona ara, a ka hoki mai ano te hau ki ona takatakanga.

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

E rere ana nga awa katoa ki te moana, heoi kahore e ki te moana: ko te wahi i rere mai ai nga awa, ka hoki atu ano ratou ki reira.

All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Mauiui rawa nga mea katoa, e kore e taea e te tangata te korero: e kore te kanohi e ngata i te matakaitaki, e kore te taringa e ki i te whakarongo.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Ko to mua mea koia ano hei mea aianei; a ko te mea i mahia i mua ka mahia ano aianei; kahore hoki he mea hou i raro i te ra.

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Tera ano ranei he mea e ki ai tetahi, Titiro, he mea hou tenei? He mea ia no nga wa o mua, no era i mua atu i a tatou.

There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Kahore he mahara ki nga whakatupuranga o mua; kahore hoki e maharatia nga whakatupuranga e haere mai a muri nei e te hunga o muri atu.

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

Ko ahau, ko te Kaikauwhau, te kingi o Iharaira i Hiruharama.

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

Na ka whakaangahia e ahau toku ngakau ki te whakaaro nui hei rapu, hei kimi i nga mea katoa e mahia ana i raro i te rangi: na te Atua tenei whakararuraru kino i homai ki nga tama a te tangata hei whakararu i a ratou.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Kua kite ahau i nga mea katoa e mahia ana i raro i te ra. Nana, he horihori katoa, he whai hoki i te hau.

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

Ko te mea piko e kore e taea te whakahangai: ko te mea koha e kore e taea te tatau.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

I korerorero ahau ki toku ngakau, i mea, Nana, kua whiwhi rawa ahau i te whakaaro nui ki runga ake i o te hunga katoa i mua atu i ahau i Hiruharama: ae ra, he maha nga mea kua kitea e toku ngakau o te whakaaro nui, o te matauranga.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

Na ka whakaangahia e ahau toku ngakau kia mohio ki te whakaaro nui, kia mohio ki te haurangi, ki te wairangi: a kua kite ahau he whai ano hoki tenei i te hau.

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Ma te nui hoki o te whakaaro ka nui ai te pouri: a ko te tangata e whakaneke ake ana i te matauranga e whakaneke ake ana i te mamae.