Ecclesiastes 1
1 verba Ecclesiastes filii David regis Hierusalem
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quod laborat sub sole
What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
4 generatio praeterit et generatio advenit terra vero in aeternum stat
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
5 oritur sol et occidit et ad locum suum revertitur ibique renascens
The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
6 gyrat per meridiem et flectitur ad aquilonem lustrans universa circuitu pergit spiritus et in circulos suos regreditur
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth 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, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
8 cunctae res difficiles non potest eas homo explicare sermone non saturatur oculus visu nec auris impletur auditu
All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 quid est quod fuit ipsum quod futurum est quid est quod factum est ipsum quod fiendum est
The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that 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
Is there any thing of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times which were 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 remembrance of former things, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
12 ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israhel in Hierusalem
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at 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 gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.
14 vidi quae fiunt cuncta sub sole et ecce universa vanitas et adflictio spiritus
I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
15 perversi difficile corriguntur et stultorum infinitus est numerus
That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot 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 communed with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much 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 I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio et qui addit scientiam addat et laborem
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
