Ecclesiastes 6

1 Est et aliud malum, quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

2 Vir, cui dedit Deus divitias, et substantiam, et honorem, et nihil deest animæ suæ ex omnibus, quæ desiderat: nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo, sed homo extraneus vorabit illud. hoc vanitas, et miseria magna est.

a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3 Si genuerit quispiam centum liberos, et vixerit multos annos, et plures dies ætatis habuerit, et anima illius non utatur bonis substantiæ suæ, sepulturaque careat: de hoc ergo pronuncio quod melior illo sit abortivus.

If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he:

4 Frustra enim venit, et pergit ad tenebras, et oblivione delebitur nomen eius.

for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

5 Non vidit solem, neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali:

moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:

6 etiam si duobus millibus annis vixerit, et non fuerit perfruitus bonis: nonne ad unum locum properant omnia?

yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place?

7 Omnis labor hominis in ore eius: sed anima eius non implebitur.

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8 Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto? et quid pauper nisi ut pergat illuc, ubi est vita?

For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?

9 Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias. sed et hoc vanitas est, et præsumptio spiritus.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

10 Qui futurus est, iam vocatum est nomen eius: et scitur quod homo sit, et non possit contra fortiorem se in iudicio contendere.

Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.

11 Verba sunt plurima, multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.

Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

12 Quid necesse est homini maiora se quærere, cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita sua numero dierum peregrinationis suæ, et tempore, quod velut umbra præterit? Aut quis ei poterit indicare quod post eum futurum sub sole sit?

For who knoweth what is good for man in [his] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?