Ecclesiastes 1
1 verba Ecclesiastes filii David regis Hierusalem
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quod laborat sub sole
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labor that he takes under the sun?
4 generatio praeterit et generatio advenit terra vero in aeternum stat
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 oritur sol et occidit et ad locum suum revertitur ibique renascens
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
6 gyrat per meridiem et flectitur ad aquilonem lustrans universa circuitu pergit spiritus et in circulos suos regreditur
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
7 omnia flumina intrant mare et mare non redundat ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant
All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there they return again.
8 cunctae res difficiles non potest eas homo explicare sermone non saturatur oculus visu nec auris impletur auditu
All things are full of labor; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with hearing.
9 quid est quod fuit ipsum quod futurum est quid est quod factum est ipsum quod fiendum est
What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 nihil sub sole novum nec valet quisquam dicere ecce hoc recens est iam enim praecessit in saeculis quae fuerunt ante nos
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us.
11 non est priorum memoria sed nec eorum quidem quae postea futura sunt erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo
There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israhel in Hierusalem
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 et proposui in animo meo quaerere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quae fiunt sub sole hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum ut occuparentur in ea
And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 vidi quae fiunt cuncta sub sole et ecce universa vanitas et adflictio spiritus
I saw all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 perversi difficile corriguntur et stultorum infinitus est numerus
That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered.
16 locutus sum in corde meo dicens ecce magnus effectus sum et praecessi sapientia omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Hierusalem et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter et didicit
I spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge.
17 dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam erroresque et stultitiam et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et adflictio spiritus
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio et qui addit scientiam addat et laborem
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
