Ecclesiastes 5
1 Custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei, et appropinqua ut audias. Multo enim melior est obedientia, quam stultorum victimae, qui nesciunt quid faciunt mali.
Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.
2 Ne temere quid loquaris, neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo. Deus enim in caelo, et tu super terram: idcirco sint pauci sermones tui.
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.
3 Multas curas sequuntur somnia, et in multis sermonibus invenietur stultitia.
For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.
4 Si quid vovisti Deo, ne moreris reddere: displicet enim ei infidelis et stulta promissio. sed quodcumque voveris, redde:
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest.
5 multoque melius est non vovere, quam post votum promissa non reddere.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6 Ne dederis os tuum ut peccare facias carnem tuam: neque dicas coram angelo: Non est providentia: ne forte iratus Deus contra sermones tuos, dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum.
Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7 Ubi multa sunt somnia, plurimae sunt vanitates, et sermones innumeri: tu vero Deum time.
For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.
8 Si videris calumnias egenorum, et violenta iudicia, et subverti iustitiam in provincia, non mireris super hoc negotio: quia excelso excelsior est alius, et super hos quoque eminentiores sunt alii,
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.
9 et insuper universae terrae rex imperat servienti.
But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.
10 Avarus non implebitur pecunia: et qui amat divitias, fructum non capiet ex eis: et hoc ergo vanitas.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity.
11 Ubi multae sunt opes, multi et qui comedunt eas. Et quid prodest possessori, nisi quod cernit divitias oculis suis?
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes?
12 Dulcis est somnus operanti, sive parum, sive multum comedat: saturitas autem divitis non sinit eum dormire.
Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13 Est et alia infirmitas pessima, quam vidi sub sole: divitiae conservatae in malum domini sui.
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt;
14 Pereunt enim in afflictione pessima: generavit filium, qui in summa egestate erit.
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 Sicut egressus est nudus de utero matris suae, sic revertetur, et nihil auferet secum de labore suo.
As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
16 Miserabilis prorsus infirmitas: quo modo venit, sic revertetur. Quid ergo prodest ei quod laboravit in ventum?
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?
17 Cunctis diebus vitae suae comedit in tenebris et in curis multis, et in aerumna atque tristitia.
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath.
18 Hoc itaque visum est mihi bonum ut comedat quis, et bibat, et fruatur laetitia ex labore suo, quo laboravit ipse sub sole numero dierum vitae suae, quos dedit ei Deus, et haec est pars illius.
Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion.
19 Et omni homini, cui dedit Deus divitias, atque substantiam, potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis, et fruatur parte sua, et laetetur de labore suo: hoc est donum Dei.
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour — this is the gift of God.
20 Non enim satis recordabitur dierum vitae suae, eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cor eius.
For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
