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:

I have drawn all these things through my heart, so that I might carefully understand. There are just men as well as wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. And yet a man does not know so much as whether he is worthy of love or of hatred.

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.

But all things in the future remain uncertain, because all things happen equally to the just and to the impious, to the good and to the bad, to the pure and to the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and to those who despise sacrifices. As the good are, so also are sinners. As those who commit perjury are, so also are those who swear to the truth.

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 a very great burden among all things that are done under the sun: that the same things happen to everyone. And when the hearts of the sons of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lives, afterwards they shall be dragged down to hell. (questioned)

4 Nemo est qui semper vivat, et qui huius rei habeat fiduciam: melior est canis vivus leone mortuo.

There is no one who lives forever, or who even has confidence in this regard. 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.

For the living know that they themselves will die, yet truly the dead know nothing anymore, nor do they have any recompense. For the memory of them is forgotten.

6 Amor quoque, et odium, et invidiae simul perierunt, nec habent partem in hoc saeculo, et in opere, quod sub sole geritur.

Likewise, love and hatred and envy have all perished together, nor have they any place in this age and in the work 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.

So then, go and eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with gladness. For your works are pleasing to God.

8 Omni tempore sint vestimenta tua candida, et oleum de capite tuo non deficiat.

Let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be absent from your head.

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.

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your uncertain life which have been given to you under the sun, during all the time of your vanity. For this is your portion in life and in your labor, with which you labor 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 your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying. (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.

I turned myself toward another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the learned, nor grace to the skillful: but there is a time and an end for all these things.

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.

Man does not know his own end. But, just as fish are caught with a hook, and birds are captured with a snare, so are men seized in the evil time, when it will suddenly overwhelm them.

13 Hanc quoque sub sole vidi sapientiam, et probavi maximam:

This wisdom, likewise, I have seen under the sun, and I have examined it intensely.

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 small city, with a few men in it. There came against it a great king, who surrounded it, and built fortifications all around it, and the blockade was completed.

15 Inventusque est in ea vir pauper et sapiens, et liberavit urbem per sapientiam suam, et nullus deinceps recordatus est hominis illius pauperis.

And there was found within it, a poor and wise man, and he freed the city through his wisdom, and nothing was recorded afterward of that poor man.

16 Et dicebam ego, meliorem esse sapientiam fortitudine: quomodo ergo sapientia pauperis contempta est, et verba eius non sunt audita?

And so, I declared that wisdom is better than strength. But how is it, then, that the wisdom of the poor man is treated with contempt, and his words are not heeded?

17 Verba sapientium audiuntur in silentio plus quam clamor principis inter stultos.

The words of the wise are heard in silence, more so than the outcry of a prince among the foolish.

18 Melior est sapientia, quam arma bellica: et qui in uno peccaverit, multa bona perdet.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war. And whoever offends in one thing, shall lose many good things.