Ecclesiastes 7
1 melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa et dies mortis die nativitatis
Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.
2 melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit
Better to go unto a house of mourning, Than to go unto a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living layeth [it] unto his heart.
3 melior est ira risu quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis
Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh better.
4 cor sapientium ubi tristitia est et cor stultorum ubi laetitia
The heart of the wise [is] in a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.
5 melius est a sapiente corripi quam stultorum adulatione decipi
Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than [for] a man to hear a song of fools,
6 quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla sic risus stulti sed et hoc vanitas
For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So [is] the laughter of a fool, even this [is] vanity.
7 calumnia conturbat sapientem et perdet robur cordis illius
Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 melior est finis orationis quam principium melior est patiens arrogante
Better [is] the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.
9 ne velox sis ad irascendum quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools resteth.
10 ne dicas quid putas causae est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt stulta est enim huiuscemodi interrogatio
Say not thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.
11 utilior est sapientia cum divitiis et magis prodest videntibus solem
Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding the sun.
12 sicut enim protegit sapientia sic protegit pecunia hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo
For wisdom [is] a defense, money [is] a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom [is], She reviveth her possessors.
13 considera opera Dei quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit
See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?
14 in die bona fruere bonis et malam diem praecave sicut enim hanc sic et illam fecit Deus ut non inveniat homo contra eum iustas querimonias
In a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of evil consider. Also this over-against that hath God made, To the intent that man doth not find anything after him.
15 haec quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meae iustus perit in iustitia sua et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua
The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrong-doer prolonging [himself] in his wrong.
16 noli esse iustus multum neque plus sapias quam necesse est ne obstupescas
Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise, why art thou desolate?
17 ne impie agas multum et noli esse stultus ne moriaris in tempore non tuo
Do not much wrong, neither be thou a fool, why dost thou die within thy time?
18 bonum est te sustentare iustum sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam quia qui Deum timet nihil neglegit
[It is] good that thou dost lay hold on this, and also, from that withdrawest not thy hand, for whoso is fearing God goeth out with them all.
19 sapientia confortabit sapientem super decem principes civitatis
The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
20 non est enim homo iustus in terra qui faciat bonum et non peccet
Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and sinneth not.
21 sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur ne accommodes cor tuum ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi
Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.
22 scit enim tua conscientia quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis
For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others.
23 cuncta temptavi in sapientia dixi sapiens efficiar et ipsa longius recessit a me
All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, 'I am wise,' and it [is] far from me.
24 multo magis quam erat et alta profunditas quis inveniet eam
Far off [is] that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?
25 lustravi universa animo meo ut scirem et considerarem et quaererem sapientiam et rationem et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti et errorem inprudentium
I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.
26 et inveni amariorem morte mulierem quae laqueus venatorum est et sagena cor eius vincula sunt manus illius qui placet Deo effugiet eam qui autem peccator est capietur ab illa
And I am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart [is] nets and snares, her hands [are] bands; the good before God escapeth from her, but the sinner is captured by her.
27 ecce hoc inveni dicit Ecclesiastes unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem
See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
28 quam adhuc quaerit anima mea et non inveni virum de mille unum repperi mulierem ex omnibus non inveni
(that still my soul had sought, and I had not found), One man, a teacher, I have found, and a woman among all these I have not found.
29 solummodo hoc inveni quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quaestionibus quis talis ut sapiens est et quis cognovit solutionem verbi
See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they — they have sought out many devices.
