Ecclesiastes 2
1 Dixi ego in corde meo: Vadam, et affluam deliciis, et fruar bonis. Et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. And, behold, this also was vanity.
2 Risum reputavi errorem: et gaudio dixi: Quid frustra deciperis?
I said of laughter, It is mad, and of mirth, What does it do?
3 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 vitæ suæ.
I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine (my heart yet guiding me with wisdom), and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4 Magnificavi opera mea, ædificavi mihi domos, et plantavi vineas,
I made for me great works. I built for me houses. I planted for me vineyards.
5 feci hortos, et pomaria, et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus,
I made for me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.
6 et extruxi mihi piscinas aquarum, ut irrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium,
I made for me pools of water, to water from there the forest where trees were reared.
7 possedi servos et ancillas, multamque familiam habui: armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem:
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 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:
I also gathered for me silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got for me men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of men, and a wife and wives.
9 et supergressus sum opibus omnes, qui ante me fuerunt in Ierusalem: sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum.
So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Et omnia, quæ desideraverunt oculi mei, non negavi eis: nec prohibui cor meum quin omni voluptate frueretur, et oblectaret se in his, quæ præparaveram: et hanc ratus sum partem meam, si uterer labore meo.
And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera, quæ fecerant manus meæ, et ad labores, in quibus frustra sudaveram, vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem animi, et nihil permanere sub sole.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do, and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam, erroresque et stultitiam (quid est, inquam, homo, ut sequi possit regem Factorem suum?)
And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Even that which has been done long ago.
13 et vidi quod tantum præcederet sapientia stultitiam, quantum differt lux a tenebris.
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as far as light excels darkness.
14 Sapientis oculi in capite eius: stultus in tenebris ambulat: et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.
The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
15 Et dixi in corde meo: Si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit, quid mihi prodest quod maiorem sapientiæ dedi operam? Locutusque cum mente mea, animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it will happen even to me, and why then was I more wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16 Non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum, et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient: moritur doctus similiter ut indoctus.
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance forever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how the wise man dies even as the fool!
17 Et idcirco tæduit me vitæ meæ videntem mala universa esse sub sole, et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus.
So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous to me. For all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18 Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam, qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi, habiturus heredem post me,
And I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who shall be after me.
19 quem ignoro, utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit, et dominabitur in laboribus meis, quibus desudavi et solicitus fui. et est quidquam tam vanum?
And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Unde cessavi, renunciavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole.
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
21 Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia, et doctrina, et solicitudine, homini otioso quæsita dimittit: et hoc ergo, vanitas, et magnum malum.
For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skillfulness, yet he shall leave it to a man who has not labored in it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo, et afflictione spiritus, qua sub sole cruciatus est?
For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart in which he labors under the sun?
23 Cuncti dies eius doloribus et ærumnis pleni sunt, nec per noctem mente requiescit: et hoc nonne vanitas est?
For all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief, yea, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Nonne melius est comedere et bibere, et ostendere animæ suæ bona de laboribus suis? et hoc de manu Dei est.
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 Quis ita devorabit, et deliciis affluet ut ego?
For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, without him?
26 Homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam, et scientiam, et lætitiam: 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.
For to the man who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
