Ecclesiastes 6
1 Est et aliud malum quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavy on 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.
God might give riches, wealth, and honor to a man so that he lacks nothing that he desires for himself, but then God gives him no ability to enjoy it. Instead, someone else uses his things. This is vapor, an evil affliction.
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 pronuntio quod melior illo sit abortivus.
If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but if his heart is not satisfied with good and he is not buried, then I say that a baby that is born dead is better off than he is.
4 Frustra enim venit, et pergit ad tenebras, et oblivione delebitur nomen ejus.
Even such a baby is born in futility and passes away in darkness, and its name remains hidden.
5 Non vidit solem, neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali.
Although this child does not see the sun or know anything, it has rest even though that man did not.
6 Etiam si duobus millibus annis vixerit, et non fuerit perfruitus bonis, nonne ad unum locum properant omnia?
Even if a man should live for two thousand years but does not learn to enjoy good things, he goes to the same place as everyone else.
7 Omnis labor hominis in ore ejus; sed anima ejus non implebitur.
All a man's work is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.
8 Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto? et quid pauper, nisi ut pergat illuc ubi est vita?
Indeed, what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have even if he knows how to act in front of other people?
9 Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias. Sed et hoc vanitas est, et præsumptio spiritus.
It is better to be satisfied with what the eyes see than to desire what a wandering appetite craves, which is also vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
10 Qui futurus est, jam vocatum est nomen ejus; et scitur quod homo sit, et non possit contra fortiorem se in judicio contendere.
Whatever has existed has already been given its name, and what mankind is like has already been known. So it has become useless to dispute with the one who is the mighty judge of all.
11 Verba sunt plurima, multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.
The more words that are spoken, the more futility increases, so what advantage is that to a man?
12 Quid necesse est homini majora 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 knows what is good for man in his life during his futile, numbered days through which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come under the sun after he passes?
