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 lieth 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 hath given riches, wealth, and honor, and nothing is wanting to him of all which he desireth, yet God giveth him not to taste thereof; but a stranger enjoyeth it. This is vanity, yea, a grievous evil.
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.
Though a man have a hundred children, and live many years, and though the days of his years be many, if his soul be not satisfied with good, and 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.
This, indeed, cometh in nothingness, and goeth down into darkness, and its name is covered with darkness;
5 Non vidit solem, neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali:
it hath not seen the sun, nor known it; yet hath it rest 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 see no good, — do not all go to one place?
7 Omnis labor hominis in ore eius: sed anima eius non implebitur.
All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his desires are not satisfied.
8 Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto? et quid pauper nisi ut pergat illuc, ubi est vita?
For what advantage hath the wise man over the fool? What advantage hath the poor, who knoweth how to walk before the living?
9 Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias. sed et hoc vanitas est, et praesumptio spiritus.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity, and 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.
That which is was long ago called by name; and it was known that he is a man, and that he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
11 Verba sunt plurima, multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.
Seeing there are many things which increase vanity, what advantage hath man [[from them]]?
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 life, in 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?
