Ecclesiastes 9

1 omnia haec tractavi in corde meo ut curiose intellegerem sunt iusti atque sapientes et opera eorum in manu Dei et tamen nescit homo utrum amore an odio dignus sit

For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.

2 sed omnia in futuro servantur incerta eo quod universa aeque eveniant iusto et impio bono et malo mundo et inmundo immolanti victimas et sacrificia contemnenti sicut bonus sic et peccator ut periurus ita et ille qui verum deierat

All things [come] alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

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 an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.

4 nemo est qui semper vivat et qui huius rei habeat fiduciam melior est canis vivens leone mortuo

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for 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 shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

6 amor quoque et odium et invidia simul perierunt nec habent partem in hoc saeculo et in opere quod sub sole geritur

Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that 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

Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

8 omni tempore sint vestimenta tua candida et oleum de capite tuo non deficiat

Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.

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 quod laboras sub sole

Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.

10 quodcumque potest manus tua facere instanter operare quia nec opus nec ratio nec scientia nec sapientia erunt apud inferos quo tu properas (Sheol h7585)

Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest. (Sheol h7585)

11 verti me alio vidique sub sole nec velocium esse cursum nec fortium bellum nec sapientium panem nec doctorum divitias nec artificum gratiam sed tempus casumque in omnibus

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12 nescit homo finem suum sed sicut pisces capiuntur hamo et sicut aves conprehenduntur laqueo sic capiuntur homines tempore malo cum eis extemplo supervenerit

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13 hanc quoque vidi sub sole sapientiam et probavi maximam

This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.

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 little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:

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

and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.

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

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17 verba sapientium audiuntur in silentio plus quam clamor principis inter stultos

The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18 melior est sapientia quam arma bellica et qui in uno peccaverit multa bona perdet

Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.