Liber Ecclesiastes

Dixi ego in corde meo: Vadam, et affluam deliciis, et fruar bonis; et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.

I said in my heart: I will go, and abound with delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.

Me fixe in corde meo: vade, et afflue delicias, et fruor bono; et vide quod hoc etiam es vanitate.

Risum reputavi errorem, et gaudio dixi: Quid frustra deciperis?

Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?

Miso reputa errore, et gaudio dic: quid frustra decipie?

Cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam, ut animam meam transferrem ad sapientiam, devitaremque stultitiam, donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum, quo facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vitæ suæ.

I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might turn my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what was profitable for the children of men: and what they ought to do under the sun, all the days of their life.

Cogita in corde meo abstrahe ab vino carne meo, ut anima meo transfer ad sapientia, et devita stultitia, usque que vide quid es utile ad filios de homines, quo fac opere es sub sole numero de dies de vita suo.

Magnificavi opera mea, ædificavi mihi domos, et plantavi vineas;

I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,

Magnifica operes meo, aedifica ad me domos, et planta vineas;

feci hortos et pomaria, et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus;

I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,

Fac hortos et pomarios, et consiva illa cuncta de genere arbores;

et exstruxi mihi piscinas aquarum, ut irrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium.

And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,

Et exstrue ad me piscinas de aquas, ut irriga silva de lignos germina.

Possedi servos et ancillas, multamque familiam habui: armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges, ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem;

I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:

Posside servos et ancillas, et multo familia habe: armentos etiam, et magna de oves greges, ultra omni qui es ante me in Ierusalem;

coacervavi mihi argentum et aurum, et substantias regum ac provinciarum; feci mihi cantores et cantatrices, et delicias filiorum hominum, scyphos, et urceos in ministerio ad vina fundenda;

I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and vessels to serve to pour out wine:

Coacerva ad me argento et auro, et substantias de reges et de provincias; fac ad me cantores et cantatrices, et delicias de filios de homines, scyphos, et urceos in ministerio ad vinas funde;

et supergressus sum opibus omnes qui ante me fuerunt in Jerusalem: sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum.

And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.

Et supergredior es opes omni qui ante me es in Ierusalem: sapientia etiam persevera mecum.

Et omnia quæ desideraverunt oculi mei non negavi eis, nec prohibui cor meum quin omni voluptate frueretur, et oblectaret se in his quæ præparaveram; et hanc ratus sum partem meam si uterer labore meo.

And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labour.

Et omni oculos meo desidera que non nega ad illos, nec prohibe corde meo quin omni voluptate fruor, et oblecta se in hoc que praepara; et hoc rascor es parte meo si ute labore meo.

Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera quæ fecerant manus meæ, et ad labores in quibus frustra sudaveram, vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem animi, et nihil permanere sub sole.

And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.

Cumque me converte ad universa operes que fac manus meo, et ad labores in que frustra suda, vide in omni vanitate et afflictione de animo, et nihil permane sub sole.

Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam, erroresque, et stultitiam. (Quid est, inquam, homo, ut sequi possit regem, factorem suum?)

I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I that he can follow the King his maker?)

De transivio ad contempla sapientia, et errores, et stultitia. (Quid es, dic, homine, ut seque pote rege, factore suo?)

Et vidi quod tantum præcederet sapientia stultitiam, quantum differt lux a tenebris.

And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.

Et vide quod tanto praecede sapientia stultitia, quanto luce differe ab tenebras.

Sapientis oculi in capite ejus; stultus in tenebris ambulat: et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.

The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.

Sapiens oculo in capite de illo; stulto in tenebras ambula: et disce quod uno et utro es interitu.

Et dixi in corde meo: Si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit, quid mihi prodest quod majorem sapientiæ dedi operam? Locutusque cum mente mea, animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.

And I said in my heart: If the death of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me, that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? And speaking with my own mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.

Et dic in corde meo: si uno et stulto et meo occasu es, quid ad me prosum quod magna de sapientia da opera? Et locuto cum mente meo, animadverte quod hoc etiam es vanitate.

Non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum, et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient: moritur doctus similiter ut indoctus.

For there shall be no remembrance of the wise no more than of the fool forever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.

Non nam memoria sape es similiter ut stulto in perpetua, et es tempores oblivione cuncta pariter operi: more doce similiter ut inde.

Et idcirco tæduit me vitæ meæ, videntem mala universa esse sub sole, et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus.

And therefore I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and vexation of spirit.

Et ergo taedum me de vita meo, vide malo universa es sub sole, et cuncta vanitate et afflictione de spiritu.

Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam, qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi, habiturus hæredem post me,

Again I hated all my application wherewith I had earnestly laboured under the sun, being like to have an heir after me,

Iterum detestor es omni industria meo, quo sub sole studiose labora, habe haere post me,

quem ignoro utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit, et dominabitur in laboribus meis, quibus desudavi et sollicitus fui: et est quidquam tam vanum?

Whom I know not whether he will be a wise man or a fool, and he shall have rule over all my labours with which I have laboured and been solicitous: and is there anything so vain?

Quem ignora utro sape an stulto que i es es, et dominor in labores meo, ad que desuda et sollicito es: et es ullo tam vana?

Unde cessavi, renuntiavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole.

Wherefore I left off and my heart renounced labouring anymore under the sun.

Unde cessa, et renuntia corde meo ultra labora sub sole.

Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia, et doctrina, et sollicitudine, homini otioso quæsita dimittit; et hoc ergo vanitas et magnum malum.

For when a man laboureth in wisdom, and knowledge, and carefulness, he leaveth what he hath gotten to an idle man: so this also is vanity, and a great evil.

Nam cum alio labora in sapientia, et doctrina, et sollicitudine, ad homine otiosa quaere remitte; et hoc ergo vanitate et magna malo.

Quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo, et afflictione spiritus, qua sub sole cruciatus est?

For what profit shall a man have of all his labour, and vexation of spirit, with which he hath been tormented under the sun?

Quid nam prosum ad homine de universa labore suo, et afflictione de spiritu, quo sub sole cruciatu es?

Cuncti dies ejus doloribus et ærumnis pleni sunt, nec per noctem mente requiescit. Et hoc nonne vanitas est?

All his days are full of sorrows and miseries, even in the night he doth not rest in mind: and is not this vanity?

Cunga dies de illo dolores et aerumnas plena es, nec per nocte mente requiesce. Et hoc nonne vanitate es?

Nonne melius est comedere et bibere, et ostendere animæ suæ bona de laboribus suis? et hoc de manu Dei est.

Is it not better to eat and drink, and to shew his soul good things of his labours? and this is from the hand of God.

Nonne bono es comede et bibe, et ostende ad anima suo bono de labores suo? Et hoc de manu de Deo es.

Quis ita devorabit et deliciis affluet ut ego?

Who shall so feast and abound with delights as I?

Qui ita devora et delicias afflue ut me?

Homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam, et scientiam, et lætitiam; peccatori autem dedit afflictionem et curam superfluam, ut addat, et congreget, et tradat ei qui placuit Deo; sed et hoc vanitas est, et cassa sollicitudo mentis.

God hath given to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given vexation, and superfluous care, to heap up and to gather together, and to give it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and a fruitless solicitude of the mind.

Ad homine bono in conspectu suo da Deo sapientia, et scientia, et laetitia; ad peccatore autem da afflictione et cura superflua, ut adde, et congrega, et trade ad illo qui place ad Deo; sed et hoc vanitate es, et casso sollicitudine de mente.