Ecclesiastes 7
1 Melius est nomen bonum, quam unguenta pretiosa: et dies mortis die nativitatis.
A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
2 Melius est ire ad domum luctus, quam ad domum convivii: in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum, et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.
It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
3 Melior est ira risu: quia per tristitiam vultus, corrigitur animus delinquentis.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
4 Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est, et cor stultorum ubi laetitia.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 Melius est a sapiente corripi, quam stultorum adulatione decipi.
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
6 quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti: sed et hoc vanitas.
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
7 Calumnia conturbat sapientem, et perdet robur cordis illius.
Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 Melior est finis orationis, quam principium. Melior est patiens arrogante.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
9 Ne sis velox ad irascendum: quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
10 Ne dicas: Quid putas causae est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt? stulta enim est huiuscemodi interrogatio.
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11 Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis, et magis prodest videntibus solem.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
12 Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia. hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia, quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.
For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
13 Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.
Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
14 In die bona fruere bonis, et malam diem praecave. sicut enim hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ut non inveniat homo contra eum iustas querimonias.
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
15 Haec quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meae: Iustus perit in iustitia sua, et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.
In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
16 Noli esse iustus multum: neque plus sapias quam necesse est, ne obstupescas.
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Ne impie agas multum: et noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.
Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18 Bonum est te sustentare iustum, et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam: quia qui timet Deum, nihil negligit.
It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
19 Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis.
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
20 Non est enim homo iustus in terra, qui faciat bonum, et non peccet.
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Sed et cunctis sermonibus, qui dicuntur, ne accomodes cor tuum: ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi.
Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
22 scit enim conscientia tua, quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.
For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 Cuncta tentavi in sapientia. Dixi: Sapiens efficiar: et ipsa longius recessit a me
All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
24 multo magis quam erat: et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
25 Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem, et considerarem, et quaererem sapientiam, et rationem: et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti, et errorem imprudentium:
I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
26 et inveni amariorem morte mulierem, quae laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor eius, vincula sunt manus illius. qui placet Deo, effugiet illam: qui autem peccator est, capietur ab illa.
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
27 Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum, ut invenirem rationem,
“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
28 quam adhuc quaerit anima mea, et non inveni. Virum de mille unum reperi, mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.
While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
29 Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quaestionibus. Quis talis ut sapiens est? et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?
Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
