< Ecclesiastes 6 >
1 Est et aliud malum, quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it [is] great on man:
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 wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, 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 doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he [is] the untimely birth.'
4 Frustra enim venit, et pergit ad tenebras, et oblivione delebitur nomen eius.
For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered,
5 Non vidit solem, neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali:
Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.
6 etiam si duobus millibus annis vixerit, et non fuerit perfruitus bonis: nonne ad unum locum properant omnia?
And though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?
7 Omnis labor hominis in ore eius: sed anima eius non implebitur.
All the labour of man [is] for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled.
8 Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto? et quid pauper nisi ut pergat illuc, ubi est vita?
For what advantage [is] to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth 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 going of the soul. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
10 Qui futurus est, iam vocatum est nomen eius: et scitur quod homo sit, et non possit contra fortiorem se in iudicio contendere.
What [is] that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it [is] man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.
11 Verba sunt plurima, multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.
For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage [is] to man?
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 a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?