Ecclesiastes 7
1 Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa, et dies mortis die nativitatis.
A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2 Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii; in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum, et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
3 Melior est ira risu, quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4 Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est, et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Melius est a sapiente corripi, quam stultorum adulatione decipi;
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti. Sed et hoc vanitas.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 Calumnia conturbat sapientem, et perdet robur cordis illius.
Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8 Melior est finis orationis quam principium. Melior est patiens arrogante.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Ne sis velox ad irascendum, quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.
Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Ne dicas: Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt? stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.
Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11 Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis, et magis prodest videntibus solem.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12 Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia; hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia, quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.
For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13 Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.
Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?
14 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.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15 Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ: justus perit in justitia sua, et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.
All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
16 Noli esse justus multum, neque plus sapias quam necesse est, ne obstupescas.
Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Ne impie agas multum, et noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.
Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18 Bonum est te sustentare justum: sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam; quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.
It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.
19 Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis;
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 non est enim homo justus in terra qui faciat bonum et non peccet.
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.
21 Sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur ne accomodes cor tuum, ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;
Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22 scit enim conscientia tua quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.
for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23 Cuncta tentavi in sapientia. Dixi: Sapiens efficiar: et ipsa longius recessit a me,
All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24 multo magis quam erat. Et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?]
That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25 [Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem et considerarem, et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem, et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti, et errorem imprudentium:
I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26 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.
I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27 Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,
“Behold, I have found this,” says Kohelet, “to one another, to find an explanation
28 quam adhuc quærit anima mea, et non inveni. Virum de mille unum reperi; mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.
which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.
29 Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus. Quis talis ut sapiens est? et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?]
Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”
