Ecclesiastes 2
1 Come, then, I said in my heart, I will have a taste of joy, and thou shalt see what is good; but, behold, this also was vanity.
Dixi ergo in corde meo: Vadam, et affluam deliciis, et fruar bonis. Et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
2 Of laughter I said, It maketh one mad: and of joy, What doth this do?
Risum reputavi errorem: et gaudio dixi: Quid frustra deciperis?
3 I resolved in my heart to indulge my body with wine, while my heart guideth itself with wisdom; and to lay fast hold on folly, till I might see what it is that is good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heavens during the number of the days of their life.
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 vitae suae.
4 I made great works: I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;
Magnificavi opera mea, aedificavi mihi domos, et plantavi vineas,
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted therein trees of all kinds of fruit;
feci hortos, et pomaria, et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus,
6 I made myself pools of water, to water therewith the forest overgrown with trees;
et extruxi mihi piscinas aquarum, ut irrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium,
7 I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and I had likewise those born in my house; I had also great possessions of cattle and flocks above all that had been before me in Jerusalem.
possedi servos et ancillas, multamque familiam habui: armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem:
8 I gathered unto myself also silver and gold, and the choice treasures of kings and of the provinces: I procured myself male singers and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men, wagons and chariots.
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:
9 So was I great, and obtained more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
et supergressus sum opibus omnes, qui ante me fuerunt in Ierusalem: sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum.
10 And whatsoever my eyes desired I refused them not; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart was rejoiced with all my toil, and this was my portion of all my toil.
Et omnia, quae desideraverunt oculi mei, non negavi eis: nec prohibui cor meum quin omni voluptate frueretur, et oblectaret se in his, quae praeparaveram: et hanc ratus sum partem meam, si uterer labore meo.
11 But when I turned myself [to look] on all my works that my hands had wrought, and on the toil that I had toiled to accomplish: then, behold, all was vanity and a torture of the spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera, quae fecerant manus meae, et ad labores, in quibus frustra sudaveram, vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem animi, et nihil permanere sub sole.
12 And then I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [only] that which [others] have done already.
Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam, erroresque et stultitiam (quid est, inquam, homo, ut sequi possit regem Factorem suum?)
13 But I saw indeed that wisdom hath the advantage over folly, as great as the advantage of light over darkness.
et vidi quod tantum praecederet sapientia stultitiam, quantum differt lux a tenebris.
14 The wise man hath his eyes in his head, while the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself perceived then also that one occurrence will befall all of them.
Sapientis oculi in capite eius: stultus in tenebris ambulat: et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.
15 Then said I in my heart, The same that befalleth the fool will also befall even me: and why have I then been wiser? Then spoke I in my heart, that this is also vanity.
Et dixi in corde meo: Si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit, quid mihi prodest quod maiorem sapientiae dedi operam? Locutusque cum mente mea, animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
16 For there is no recollection of the wise any more than of the fool for ever: seeing that which hath long ago been will, in the days that are coming, all be forgotten. And how doth the wise die equally with the fool!
Non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum, et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient: moritur doctus similiter et indoctus.
17 Therefore I hated life; because I felt displeased with the work that is wrought under the sun; for all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
Et idcirco taeduit me vite meae videntem mala universa esse sub sole, et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus.
18 Yea, I hated also all my toil with which I had toiled under the sun; because I should have to leave it unto the man that will be after me.
Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam, qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi, habiturus heredem post me,
19 And who knoweth, whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have full sway over all my toil wherein I have toiled, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. Also this is vanity.
quem ignoro, utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit, et dominabitur in laboribus meis, quibus desudavi et solicitus fui. et est quidquam tam vanum?
20 Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to give up thinking of all the toil wherewith I had toiled under the sun.
Unde cessavi, renunciavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole.
21 For there is many a man whose toil is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with energy; yet to a man that hath not toiled therefore must he give it as his portion. Also this is vanity and a great evil.
Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia, et doctrina, et solicitudine, homini otioso quaesita dimittit: et hoc ergo, vanitas, et magnum malum.
22 For what doth a man obtain of all his toil, and of the torture of his heart, wherewith he toileth under the sun?
Quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo, et afflictione spiritus, qua sub sole cruciatus est?
23 For all his days are full of pains, and vexation is [mingled with] his employment: yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. Also this is vanity.
Cuncti dies eius doloribus et aerumnis pleni sunt, nec per noctem mente requiescit: et hoc nonne vanitas est?
24 It is not a good thing [inherent] in man that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy happiness for his toil. Also this have I seen, that it cometh out of the hand of God.
Nonne melius est comedere et bibere, et ostendere animae suae bona de laboribus suis? et hoc de manu Dei est.
25 For who can well eat, or who can enjoy earthly things more than I?
Quis ita devorabit, et deliciis affluet ut ego?
26 For to a man who is good in his presence [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth employment, to gather up and to bring together, that he may give it to him that is good before God. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
Homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam, et scientiam, et laetitiam: peccatori autem dedit afflictionem, et curam superfluam, ut addat, et congreget, et tradat ei qui placuit Deo: sed et hoc vanitas est, et cassa solicitudo mentis.
