Ecclesiastes 5
1 Be careful when you go into God's house. It's better to listen and respond rather than offer meaningless sacrifices. People who do that don't even know they are doing wrong.
Custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei, et appropinqua ut audias. Multo enim melior est obedientia, quam stultorum victimæ, qui nesciunt quid faciunt mali.
2 Don't say rash things, and think before you speak to God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so keep it short.
Ne temere quid loquaris, neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo. Deus enim in cælo, et tu super terram: idcirco sint pauci sermones tui.
3 When you worry too much, you get nightmares; when you talk too much, you say foolish things.
Multas curas sequuntur somnia, et in multis sermonibus invenietur stultitia.
4 When you make a vow to God, with a curse on you if you don't keep it, don't be slow in keeping it, for he is not happy with foolish behavior. So do what you promised!
Si quid vovisti Deo, ne moreris reddere: displicet enim ei infidelis et stulta promissio. Sed quodcumque voveris, redde:
5 Better not to make any vows at all than to make vow you don't keep.
multoque melius est non vovere, quam post votum promissa non reddere.
6 Don't let your mouth cause you to sin. And don't tell the priest that your vow was a mistake, for why would you antagonize God by breaking your promise? He could bring your own curse down on you.
Ne dederis os tuum ut peccare facias carnem tuam: neque dicas coram Angelo: Non est Providentia: ne forte iratus Deus contra sermones tuos, dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum.
7 There are certainly many dreams, questions of meaning, and lots of different ideas, but you are to follow God.
Ubi multa sunt somnia, plurimæ sunt vanitates, et sermones innumeri: tu vero Deum time.
8 If you see poor people somewhere being oppressed, or truth and justice violated, don't be shocked at it, for every official is responsible to others higher up, and there are officials over them as well.
Si videris calumnias egenorum, et violenta iudicia, et subverti iustitiam in provincia, non mireris super hoc negotio: quia excelso excelsior est alius, et super hos quoque eminentiores sunt alii,
9 However, what the land produces is for everyone—even the king benefits from what is grown.
et insuper universæ terræ Rex imperat servienti.
10 People who love money never have enough money; those who love wealth never have enough income. This too is so temporary and makes little sense.
Avarus non implebitur pecunia: et qui amat divitias, fructum non capiet ex eis: et hoc ergo vanitas.
11 The more you earn, the more you have eating into your income. It only looks like you have more!
Ubi multæ sunt opes, multi et qui comedunt eas. Et quid prodest possessori, nisi quod cernit divitias oculis suis?
12 Those who work hard sleep well, whether they have a little to eat or plenty, but the rich own so much they don't get any rest.
Dulcis est somnus operanti, sive parum, sive multum comedat: saturitas autem divitis non sinit eum dormire.
13 I observed something here that is really sickening: people who hoard money damage themselves.
Est et alia infirmitas pessima, quam vidi sub sole: divitiæ conservatæ in malum domini sui.
14 They put their money into bad investments and lose everything. Now when we're born, we don't bring anything into the world.
Pereunt enim in afflictione pessima: generavit filium, qui in summa egestate erit.
15 When we die, we leave just as naked as when we were born, taking nothing with us from all we've worked for.
Sicut egressus est nudus de utero matris suæ, sic revertetur, et nihil auferet secum de labore suo.
16 This also makes me sick! What do people gain, working for the wind?
Miserabilis prorsus infirmitas: quo modo venit, sic revertetur. Quid ergo prodest ei quod laboravit in ventum?
17 They live their lives in darkness, very frustrated, sick, and resentful.
Cunctis diebus vitæ suæ comedit in tenebris et in curis multis, et in ærumna atque tristitia.
18 But I observed that what is good and right is to eat, drink, and to find enjoyment in the work God gives us here in this life. This is God's gift to us.
Hoc itaque visum est mihi bonum ut comedat quis, et bibat, et fruatur lætitia ex labore suo, quo laboravit ipse sub sole numero dierum vitæ suæ, quos dedit ei Deus, et hæc est pars illius.
19 In addition, everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions he also gives the ability to enjoy these gifts, to be grateful for what they are given, and to enjoy the work they do. This is also God's gift to us.
Et omni homini, cui dedit Deus divitias, atque substantiam, potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis, et fruatur parte sua, et lætetur de labore suo: hoc est donum Dei.
20 In fact such people have little time to think about life because God keeps them busy with all that makes them happy.
Non enim satis recordabitur dierum vitæ suæ, eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cor eius.
