Ecclesiastes 1
1 Verba Ecclesiastae, filii David, regis Ierusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
2 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes: vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
3 Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo, quo laborat sub sole?
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
4 Generatio praeterit, et generatio advenit: terra autem in aeternum stat.
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
5 Oritur sol, et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur: ibique renascens,
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
6 gyrat per Meridiem, et flectitur ad Aquilonem: lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
7 Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat: ad locum, unde exeunt flumina, revertuntur ut iterum fluant.
All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
8 Cunctae res difficiles: non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.
Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
9 Quid est quod fuit? ipsum quod futurum est. Quid est quod factum est? ipsum quod faciendum est.
What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
10 Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: iam enim praecessit in saeculis, quae fuerunt ante nos.
There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
11 Non est priorum memoria: sed nec eorum quidem, quae postea futura sunt, erit recordatio apud eos, qui futuri sunt in novissimo.
There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
12 Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israel in Ierusalem,
I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
13 et proposui in animo meo quaerere et investigare sapienter de omnibus, quae fiunt sub sole. Hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut occuparentur in ea.
And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
14 Vidi cuncta, quae fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas, et afflictio spiritus.
I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
15 Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
16 Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et praecessi omnes sapientia, qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem: et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.
I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
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 have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio: et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
