Ecclesiastes 2
1 dixi ego in corde meo vadam et affluam deliciis et fruar bonis et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas
I said in my heart, “Come, now, I will try thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure!” But, lo! this also was vanity.
2 risum reputavi errorem et gaudio dixi quid frustra deciperis
I said of laughter, “It is mad;” and of mirth, “What availeth it?”
3 cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam ut animum meum transferrem ad sapientiam devitaremque stultitiam donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum quod facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vitae suae
I thought in my heart to strengthen my body with wine, and, while my heart cleaved to wisdom, to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4 magnificavi opera mea aedificavi mihi domos plantavi vineas
I made me great works. I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards.
5 feci hortos et pomeria et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus
I made me gardens and parks, and planted in them fruit-trees of every kind.
6 extruxi mihi piscinas aquarum ut inrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium
I made me pools of water, with which to water the grove shooting up trees.
7 possedi servos et ancillas multamque familiam habui armenta quoque et magnos ovium greges ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Hierusalem
I got me men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8 coacervavi mihi argentum et aurum et substantias regum ac provinciarum feci mihi cantores et cantrices et delicias filiorum hominum scyphos et urceos in ministerio ad vina fundenda
I heaped me up also silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and of provinces. I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delight of the sons of men, a chosen woman and chosen women.
9 et supergressus sum opibus omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Hierusalem sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum
So I became greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.
10 et omnia quae desideraverunt oculi mei non negavi eis nec prohibui cor quin omni voluptate frueretur et oblectaret se in his quae paraveram et hanc ratus sum partem meam si uterer labore meo
And whatever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced by means of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 cumque me convertissem ad universa opera quae fecerant manus meae et ad labores in quibus frustra sudaveram vidi in omnibus vanitatem et adflictionem animi et nihil permanere sub sole
Then I looked upon all the works which my hands had wrought, and upon all the labor which I had toiled in performing; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam erroresque et stultitiam quid est inquam homo ut sequi possit regem factorem suum
Then I turned myself to behold wisdom and senselessness and folly. For what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 et vidi quia tantum praecederet sapientia stultitiam quantum differt lux tenebris
I saw, indeed, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 sapientis oculi in capite eius stultus in tenebris ambulat et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus
The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness; yet I perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15 et dixi in corde meo si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit quid mihi prodest quod maiorem sapientiae dedi operam locutusque cum mente mea animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas
Then I said in my heart, “As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth to me. Why, then, became I wiser than others?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”
16 non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter obruent moritur doctus similiter et indoctus
For there is no remembrance of the wise man more than of the fool for ever; for in the days to come shall all have long been forgotten; and, alas! the wise man dieth, as well as the fool.
17 et idcirco taeduit me vitae meae videntem mala esse universa sub sole et cuncta vanitatem atque adflictionem spiritus
Therefore I hated life, because what is done under the sun appeared evil to me. For all is vanity, and striving after wind.
18 rursum detestatus sum omnem industriam meam quae sub sole studiosissime laboravi habiturus heredem post me
Yea, I hated all my labor which I had performed under the sun, because I must leave it to the man that shall be after me.
19 quem ignoro utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit et dominabitur in laboribus meis quibus desudavi et sollicitus fui et est quicquam tam vanum
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he be lord of all the labor with which I have wearied myself, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 unde cessavi renuntiavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole
Therefore I turned to give up my heart to despair in regard to all the labor with which I had wearied myself under the sun.
21 nam cum alius laboret in sapientia et doctrina et sollicitudine homini otioso quaesita dimittit et hoc ergo vanitas et magnum malum
For there is a man whose labor has been with wisdom and knowledge and skill; yet to a man who hath not labored for it must he leave it as his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo et adflictione spiritus qua sub sole cruciatus est
For what hath man of all his labor, and the striving of his spirit, with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
23 cuncti dies eius doloribus et aerumnis pleni sunt nec per noctem mente requiescit et haec non vanitas est
For all his days are grief, and his occupation trouble; even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
24 nonne melius est comedere et bibere et ostendere animae suae bona de laboribus suis et hoc de manu Dei est
There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and let his soul enjoy good in his labor. But this, as I have seen, cometh from the hand of God.
25 quis ita vorabit et deliciis affluet ut ego
For who can eat, or hasten thereunto more than I?
26 homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam et scientiam et laetitiam peccatori autem dedit adflictionem et curam superfluam ut addat et congreget et tradat ei qui placuit Deo sed et hoc vanitas et cassa sollicitudo mentis
For to a man who is good in his sight God giveth wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he giveth the wearisome business of gathering and heaping up, to give it to him who is good before God. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
