Ecclesiastes 1
1 Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Ierusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes: vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo, quo laborat sub sole?
What does man gain from all his labour in which he labours under the sun?
4 Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit: terra autem in æternum stat.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 Oritur sol, et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur: ibique renascens,
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 gyrat per Meridiem, et flectitur ad Aquilonem: lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
The wind goes towards the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
7 Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat: ad locum, unde exeunt flumina, revertuntur ut iterum fluant.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8 Cunctæ res difficiles: non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Quid est quod fuit? Ipsum quod futurum est. Quid est quod factum est? Ipsum quod faciendum est.
That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: iam enim præcessit in sæculis, quæ fuerunt ante nos.
Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 Non est priorum memoria: sed nec eorum quidem, quæ postea futura sunt, erit recordatio apud eos, qui futuri sunt in novissimo.
There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, amongst those that shall come after.
12 Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israel in Ierusalem,
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 et proposui in animo meo quærere et investigare sapienter de omnibus, quæ fiunt sub sole. Hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut occuparentur in ea.
I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14 Vidi cuncta, quæ fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas, et afflictio spiritus.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.
That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
16 Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia, qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem: et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.
I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
17 Dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam, atque doctrinam, erroresque et stultitiam: et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor, et afflictio spiritus,
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio: et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
