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 try thee with mirth, and 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 doth it accomplish?'
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 pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life.
4 Magnificavi opera mea, ædificavi mihi domos, et plantavi vineas,
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5 feci hortos, et pomaria, et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus,
I made 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 me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with trees;
7 possedi servos et ancillas, multamque familiam habui: armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem:
I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that 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 gathered me also silver and gold, and treasure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.
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 that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.
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 whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.
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 labour that I had laboured 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 that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 et vidi quod tantum præcederet sapientia stultitiam, quantum differt lux a tenebris.
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 Sapientis oculi in capite eius: stultus in tenebris ambulat: et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.
The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness. And I also perceived that one event happeneth 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 said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then 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 for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die 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 unto 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 labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that 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 knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein 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 labour wherein I had laboured 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 labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave 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 hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth 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 pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh not 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 pleasure for his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 Quis ita devorabit, et deliciis affluet ut ego?
For who will eat, or who will enjoy, if not I?
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 that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
