Liber Ecclesiastes

Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Jerusalem.

The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.

Verbas de Ecclesiasta, de filio Davide, de rege Ierusalem.

Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes; vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.

Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes: vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.

Vanitate de vanitates, dic Ecclesiaste; vanitate de vanitates, et omni vanitate.

Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quo laborat sub sole?

What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?

Homine habe ample quid de universa labore suo quo labora sub sole?

Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit; terra autem in æternum stat.

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

Generatione praeteri, et generatione adveni; terra autem in aeterno sta.

Oritur sol et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur; ibique renascens,

The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,

Sole ori et occide, et ad loco suo reverte; et ibi renascor,

gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem. Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.

Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.

Gyra per meridie, et flecte ad aquilone. Lustrante universa in circuitu perge spiritu, et in circulos suo reverte.

Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat; ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant.

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.

Omni flumines intra in mari, et mari non redunda; ad loco unde flumines exi reverte ut iterum flue.

Cunctæ res difficiles; non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.

All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.

Cunga res difficile; non pote illas homine explica sermone. Non oculo satura visu, nec aures auditu imple.

Quid est quod fuit? Ipsum quod futurum est. Quid est quod factum est? Ipsum quod faciendum est.

What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.

Quid es quod es? Ipso quod es es. Quid es quod facto es? Ipso quod fac es.

Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: jam enim præcessit in sæculis quæ fuerunt ante nos.

Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.

Nihil sub sole novo, nec ullo vale dicere: ecce hoc recente es: jam nam praecede in saeculos que es ante nos.

Non est priorum memoria; sed nec eorum quidem quæ postea futura sunt erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo.

There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.

Non es priore memoria; sed nec de illos quidem que postea es es es recordatione apud illos qui es es in novissimo.

Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israël in Jerusalem;

I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,

Me Ecclesiaste es rege Israële in Ierusalem;

et proposui in animo meo quærere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quæ fiunt sub sole. Hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut occuparentur in ea.

And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.

Et propone in animo meo quaere et investiga sapienter de omni que fi sub sole. Hoc occupatione malo Deo da ad filios de homines, ut occupa in illa.

Vidi cuncta quæ fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas et afflictio spiritus.

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

Vide cuncta que fi sub sole, et ecce universa vanitate et afflictione de spiritu.

Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.

The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.

Perverso difficile corrige, et stulto infinita es numero.

Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem; et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.

I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.

Locuto es in corde meo, dicente: ecce magna efficie es, et praecede omni sapientia qui es ante me in Ierusalem; et mente meo contempla es multo sapienter, et disce.

Dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam, erroresque et stultitiam; et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et afflictio spiritus:

And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,

Et da corde meo ut sci prudentia et doctrina, et errores et stultitia; et anosca quod in hoc etiam es labore et afflictione de spiritu:

eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio; et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.

Because in much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.

Eo quod in multo sapientia multo es indignatione; et qui adde scientia, adde et labore.