Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa, et dies mortis die nativitatis.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii; in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum, et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.
3 Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Melior est ira risu, quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est, et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
Melius est a sapiente corripi, quam stultorum adulatione decipi;
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti. Sed et hoc vanitas.
7 For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
Calumnia conturbat sapientem, et perdet robur cordis illius.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
Melior est finis orationis quam principium. Melior est patiens arrogante.
9 Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
Ne sis velox ad irascendum, quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.
10 Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
Ne dicas: Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt? stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.
11 Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis, et magis prodest videntibus solem.
12 For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia; hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia, quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.
13 Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.
14 On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
In die bona fruere bonis, et malam diem præcave; sicut enim hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ut non inveniat homo contra eum justas querimonias.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ: justus perit in justitia sua, et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
Noli esse justus multum, neque plus sapias quam necesse est, ne obstupescas.
17 Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
Ne impie agas multum, et noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.
18 It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
Bonum est te sustentare justum: sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam; quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.
19 Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis;
20 For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
non est enim homo justus in terra qui faciat bonum et non peccet.
21 Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur ne accomodes cor tuum, ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;
22 For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
scit enim conscientia tua quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Cuncta tentavi in sapientia. Dixi: Sapiens efficiar: et ipsa longius recessit a me,
24 Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
multo magis quam erat. Et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?
25 Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem et considerarem, et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem, et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti, et errorem imprudentium:
26 And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
et inveni amariorem morte mulierem, quæ laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor ejus; vincula sunt manus illius. Qui placet Deo effugiet illam; qui autem peccator est capietur ab illa.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,
28 What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
quam adhuc quærit anima mea, et non inveni. Virum de mille unum reperi; mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.
29 Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus. Quis talis ut sapiens est? et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?
