Ecclesiastes 6
1 Est et aliud malum, quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
2 Vir, cui dedit Deus divitias, et substantiam, et honorem, et nihil deest animae suae ex omnibus, quae desiderat: nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo, sed homo extraneus vorabit illud. hoc vanitas, et miseria magna est.
a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 Si genuerit quispiam centum liberos, et vixerit multos annos, et plures dies aetatis habuerit, et anima illius non utatur bonis substantiae suae, sepulturaque careat: de hoc ergo pronuncio quod melior illo sit abortivus.
If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;
4 Frustra enim venit, et pergit ad tenebras, et oblivione delebitur nomen eius.
for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
5 Non vidit solem, neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali:
moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;
6 etiam si duobus millibus annis vixerit, et non fuerit perfruitus bonis: nonne ad unum locum properant omnia?
yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?
7 Omnis labor hominis in ore eius: sed anima eius non implebitur.
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8 Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto? et quid pauper nisi ut pergat illuc, ubi est vita?
For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?
9 Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias. sed et hoc vanitas est, et praesumptio spiritus.
Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
10 Qui futurus est, iam vocatum est nomen eius: et scitur quod homo sit, et non possit contra fortiorem se in iudicio contendere.
Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.
11 Verba sunt plurima, multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.
Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12 Quid necesse est homini maiora se quaerere, cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita sua numero dierum peregrinationis suae, et tempore, quod velut umbra praeterit? Aut quis ei poterit indicare quod post eum futurum sub sole sit?
For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
