Ecclesiastes 9
1 Omnia haec tractavi in corde meo, ut curiose intelligerem: Sunt iusti atque sapientes, et opera eorum in manu Dei: et tamen nescit homo utrum amore, an odio dignus sit:
All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.
2 sed omnia in futurum servantur incerta, eo quod universa aeque eveniant iusto et impio, bono et malo, mundo et immundo, immolanti victimas, et sacrificia contemnenti. sicut bonus, sic et peccator: ut periurus, ita et ille qui verum deierat.
Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.
3 Hoc est pessimum inter omnia, quae sub sole fiunt, quia eadem cunctis eveniunt. unde et corda filiorum hominum implentur malitia, et contemptu in vita sua, et post haec ad inferos deducentur. (questioned)
This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that — to the dead.
4 Nemo est qui semper vivat, et qui huius rei habeat fiduciam: melior est canis vivus leone mortuo.
For him who is joined to all the living there is hope; a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 Viventes enim sciunt se esse morituros, mortui vero nihil noverunt amplius, nec habent ultra mercedem: quia oblivioni tradita est memoria eorum.
The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them.
6 Amor quoque, et odium, et invidiae simul perierunt, nec habent partem in hoc saeculo, et in opere, quod sub sole geritur.
Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun.
7 Vade ergo et comede in laetitia panem tuum, et bibe cum gaudio vinum tuum: quia Deo placent opera tua.
Come, take your bread with joy, and your wine with a glad heart. God has taken pleasure in your works.
8 Omni tempore sint vestimenta tua candida, et oleum de capite tuo non deficiat.
Let your clothing be white at all times, and let not your head be without oil.
9 Perfruere vita cum uxore, quam diligis, cunctis diebus vitae instabilitatis tuae, qui dati sunt tibi sub sole omni tempore vanitatis tuae: haec est enim pars in vita, et in labore tuo, quo laboras sub sole.
Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun.
10 Quodcumque facere potest manus tua, instanter operare: quia nec opus, nec ratio, nec sapientia, nec scientia erunt apud inferos, quo tu properas. (Sheol h7585)
Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going. (Sheol h7585)
11 Verti me ad aliud, et vidi sub sole, nec velocium esse cursum, nec fortium bellum, nec sapientium panem, nec doctorum divitias, nec artificum gratiam: sed tempus, casumque in omnibus.
And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.
12 Nescit homo finem suum: sed sicut pisces capiuntur hamo, et sicut aves laqueo comprehenduntur, sic capiuntur homines in tempore malo, cum eis extemplo supervenerit.
Even man has no knowledge of his time; like fishes taken in an evil net, or like birds taken by deceit, are the sons of men taken in an evil time when it comes suddenly on them.
13 Hanc quoque sub sole vidi sapientiam, et probavi maximam:
This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.
14 Civitas parva, et pauci in ea viri: venit contra eam rex magnus, et vallavit eam, extruxitque munitiones per gyrum, et perfecta est obsidio.
There was a little town and the number of its men was small, and there came a great king against it and made an attack on it, building works of war round about it.
15 Inventusque est in ea vir pauper et sapiens, et liberavit urbem per sapientiam suam, et nullus deinceps recordatus est hominis illius pauperis.
Now there was in the town a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. But no one had any memory of that same poor man.
16 Et dicebam ego, meliorem esse sapientiam fortitudine: quomodo ergo sapientia pauperis contempta est, et verba eius non sunt audita?
Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.
17 Verba sapientium audiuntur in silentio plus quam clamor principis inter stultos.
The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish.
18 Melior est sapientia, quam arma bellica: et qui in uno peccaverit, multa bona perdet.
Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.
