Ecclesiastes 2
1 Dixi ergo in corde meo: Vadam, et affluam deliciis, et fruar bonis. Et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with happiness. So enjoy pleasure.” But look, this also was just a temporary breeze.
2 Risum reputavi errorem: et gaudio dixi: Quid frustra deciperis?
I said about laughter, “It is crazy,” and about pleasure, “What use is it?”
3 Cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam, ut animam meam transferrem ad sapientiam, devitaremque stultitiam, donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum: quo facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vitae suae.
I explored in my heart how to gratify my desires with wine. I let my mind guide me with wisdom although I was still holding on to folly. I wanted to find out what is good for people to do under heaven during the days of their lives.
4 Magnificavi opera mea, aedificavi mihi domos, et plantavi vineas,
I accomplished great things. I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.
5 feci hortos, et pomaria, et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus,
I built for myself gardens and parks; I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 et extruxi mihi piscinas aquarum, ut irrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium,
I created pools of water to water a forest where trees were grown.
7 possedi servos et ancillas, multamque familiam habui: armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem:
I purchased male slaves and female slaves; I had slaves born in my palace. I also had large herds and flocks of livestock, much more than any king who ruled before me in Jerusalem.
8 coacervavi mihi argentum, et aurum, et substantias regum, ac provinciarum: feci mihi cantores, et cantatrices, et delicias filiorum hominum, scyphos, et urceos in ministerio ad vina fundenda:
I also accumulated for myself silver and gold, the treasures of kings and provinces. I got male and female singers for myself—the delights of the children of humanity—and many concubines.
9 et supergressus sum opibus omnes, qui ante me fuerunt in Ierusalem: sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum.
So I became greater and wealthier than all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom remained with me.
10 Et omnia, quae desideraverunt oculi mei, non negavi eis: nec prohibui cor meum quin omni voluptate frueretur, et oblectaret se in his, quae praeparaveram: et hanc ratus sum partem meam, si uterer labore meo.
Whatever my eyes desired, I did not withhold from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, because my heart rejoiced in all my labor and pleasure was my reward for all my work.
11 Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera, quae fecerant manus meae, et ad labores, in quibus frustra sudaveram, vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem animi, et nihil permanere sub sole.
Then I looked on all the deeds that my hands had accomplished, and on the work that I had done, but again, everything was vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind. There was no profit under the sun in it.
12 Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam, erroresque et stultitiam (quid est, inquam, homo, ut sequi possit regem Factorem suum?)
Then I turned to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. For what can the next king do who comes after the king, which has not already been done?
13 et vidi quod tantum praecederet sapientia stultitiam, quantum differt lux a tenebris.
Then I began to understand that wisdom has advantages over folly, just as light is better than darkness.
14 Sapientis oculi in capite eius: stultus in tenebris ambulat: et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.
The wise man uses his eyes in his head to see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness, although I know the same event happens to all of them.
15 Et dixi in corde meo: Si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit, quid mihi prodest quod maiorem sapientiae dedi operam? Locutusque cum mente mea, animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool, will also happen to me. So what difference does it make if I am very wise?” I concluded in my heart, “This too is only vapor.”
16 Non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum, et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient: moritur doctus similiter et indoctus.
For the wise man, like the fool, is not remembered for very long. In the days to come everything will have been long forgotten. The wise man dies just like the fool dies.
17 Et idcirco taeduit me vite meae videntem mala universa esse sub sole, et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus.
So I detested life because all the work done under the sun was evil to me. This was because everything is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
18 Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam, qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi, habiturus heredem post me,
I hated all my accomplishments for which I had worked under the sun because I must leave them behind to the man who comes after me.
19 quem ignoro, utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit, et dominabitur in laboribus meis, quibus desudavi et solicitus fui. et est quidquam tam vanum?
For who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over everything under the sun that my work and wisdom have built. This also is vapor.
20 Unde cessavi, renunciavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole.
Therefore my heart began to despair over all the work under the sun that I did.
21 Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia, et doctrina, et solicitudine, homini otioso quaesita dimittit: et hoc ergo, vanitas, et magnum malum.
For there might be someone who works with wisdom, with knowledge, and skill, but he will leave everything he has to a man who has not made any of it. This also is vapor and a great tragedy.
22 Quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo, et afflictione spiritus, qua sub sole cruciatus est?
For what profit does the person gain who works so hard and tries in his heart to complete his labors under the sun?
23 Cuncti dies eius doloribus et aerumnis pleni sunt, nec per noctem mente requiescit: et hoc nonne vanitas est?
Every day his work is painful and stressful, so at night his soul does not find rest. This also is vapor.
24 Nonne melius est comedere et bibere, et ostendere animae suae bona de laboribus suis? et hoc de manu Dei est.
There is nothing better for anyone than to simply eat and drink and be satisfied with what is good in his work. I saw that this truth comes from God's hand.
25 Quis ita devorabit, et deliciis affluet ut ego?
For who can eat or who can have any kind of pleasure apart from God?
26 Homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam, et scientiam, et laetitiam: peccatori autem dedit afflictionem, et curam superfluam, ut addat, et congreget, et tradat ei qui placuit Deo: sed et hoc vanitas est, et cassa solicitudo mentis.
For to anyone who pleases him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy. However, to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and storing up so that he may give it away to someone who pleases God. This also amounts to vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
