Ecclesiastes 1
1 Verba Ecclesiastae, filii David, regis Ierusalem.
The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes: vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, 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 toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
4 Generatio praeterit, et generatio advenit: terra autem in aeternum stat.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
5 Oritur sol, et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur: ibique renascens,
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
6 gyrat per Meridiem, et flectitur ad Aquilonem: lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
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 never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
8 Cunctae res difficiles: non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.
All things weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never 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.
That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: iam enim praecessit in saeculis, quae fuerunt ante nos.
If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which 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.
[Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
12 Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israel in Ierusalem,
I Koheleth was king over Israel in 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 directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves therewith.
14 Vidi cuncta, quae fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas, et afflictio spiritus.
I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
15 Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.
What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
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 spoke with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much 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 directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the spirit.
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio: et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.
For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
