1 K ia mahara ra ki tou Kaihanga i nga ra o tou tamarikitanga, i te mea kahore ano kia tae noa mai nga ra o te kino, a kahore ano kia tata mai nga tau e ki ai koe, Kahore oku ahuareke ki enei tau;

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”:

2 I te mea kahore ano kia pouri noa te ra, te marama, te marama, me nga whetu, a kahore ano kia hoki mai nga kapua i muri i te ua:

While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain;

3 I te ra e wiri ai nga kaitiaki o te whare, a ka piko iho nga tangata marohirohi, ka mutu ano hoki ta nga kaihuri, no te mea he torutoru ratou, ka pouri ano hoki nga mea e titiro mai nei i nga matapihi.

In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim;

4 A ka tutakina nga tatau i te huarahi; a ka iti te haruru o te huri, a ka ara ake tetahi i te tangi o te manu, ka whakahokia iho hoki ki raro nga kotiro katoa o te waiata;

When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low.

5 A e ra, ka wehi ratou i te mea tiketike, kei te huarahi hoki nga mea whakamataku; a ka puawai te aramona, ka taimaha ano hoki te mawhitiwhiti, ka iti haere te hiahia: ka haere nei hoki te tangata ki tona whare tuturu, a ka haereere nga kaitangi i nga huarahi:

Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.

6 I te mea kahore ano kia mawheto noa te aho hiriwa, kia pakaru noa ranei te oko koura, kia pakaru ranei te haka ki te puna, kia pakaru te wira ki te poka wai;

Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.

7 A ka hoki te puehu ki te whenua, ki tona ahua o mua, a ka hoki te wairua ki te Atua nana nei i homai.

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

8 H e horihori, he tino horihori, e ai ta te Kaikauwhau; he horihori te katoa.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.” The Whole Duty of Man

9 N a no te mea he tangata whakaaro nui te Kaikauwhau, koia i whakaakona tonutia ai e ia te iwi ki te matauranga; ae ra, i whakaaroaro ia, i rapu, a i ata whakatakotoria e ia nga whakatauki maha.

And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.

10 I whai te Kaikauwhau kia kitea nga kupu huatau: he mea tika ano te mea i tuhituhia, he kupu pono.

The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.

11 K o nga kupu a te hunga whakaaro nui koia ano kei nga werowero, a ko nga kupu a nga kaihuihui o nga whakaminenga kei nga whao i titia kia mau, he mea i homai e te hepara kotahi.

The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.

12 A kia ai enei hei whakatupato i a koe, e taku tama; ko te tuhi i nga pukapuka maha kahore he mutunga; ki te nui hoki te ako ka mauiui te kikokiko.

And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.

13 K o te whakamutunga tenei o te mea katoa; kua rangona katoatia; e wehi ki te Atua, puritia ana whakahau: ko nga mea katoa hoki enei hei mahi ma te tangata.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

14 N o te mea ka whakawakia nga mahi katoa e te Atua, te mea huna ano hoki, ahakoa pai, ahakoa kino.

For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.