Ecclesiastes 1
1 Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Jerusalem.
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, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quo laborat sub sole?
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit; terra autem in æternum stat.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5 Oritur sol et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur; ibique renascens,
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6 gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem. Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
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; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 Cunctæ res difficiles; non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: 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.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is 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: jam enim præcessit in sæculis quæ fuerunt ante nos.
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was 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 remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
12 Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israël in Jerusalem;
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.
And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
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 vexation of spirit.
15 Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem; et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart 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:
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
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 that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
