¹Dixi ego in corde meo:I said in my heart:Vadam, et affluam deliciis,“I will go forth and overflow with delights,et fruar bonis;and I will enjoy good things.”et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.

¹Dixi ego in corde meo:I said in my heart:Vadam, et affluam deliciis,“I will go forth and overflow with delights,et fruar bonis;and I will enjoy good things.”et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.

²Risum reputavi errorem,Laughter, I considered an error.et gaudio dixi:And to rejoicing, I said:Quid frustra deciperis?“Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”

²Risum reputavi errorem,Laughter, I considered an error.et gaudio dixi:And to rejoicing, I said:Quid frustra deciperis?“Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”

³Cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam,I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine,ut animam meam transferrem ad sapientiam,so that I might bring my mind to wisdom,devitaremque stultitiam,and turn away from foolishness,donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum,until I see what is useful for the sons of men,quo facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vitæ suæ.and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.

³Cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam,I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine,ut animam meam transferrem ad sapientiam,so that I might bring my mind to wisdom,devitaremque stultitiam,and turn away from foolishness,donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum,until I see what is useful for the sons of men,quo facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vitæ suæ.and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.

⁴Magnificavi opera mea,I magnified my works.ædificavi mihi domos,I built houses for myself,et plantavi vineas;and I planted vineyards.

⁴Magnificavi opera mea,I magnified my works.ædificavi mihi domos,I built houses for myself,et plantavi vineas;and I planted vineyards.

⁵feci hortos et pomaria,I made gardens and orchards.et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus;And I planted them with trees of every kind.

⁵feci hortos et pomaria,I made gardens and orchards.et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus;And I planted them with trees of every kind.

⁶et exstruxi mihi piscinas aquarum,And I dug out fishponds of water,ut irrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium.so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.

⁶et exstruxi mihi piscinas aquarum,And I dug out fishponds of water,ut irrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium.so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.

⁷Possedi servos et ancillas,I obtained men and women servants,multamque familiam habui:and I had a great family,armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges,as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep,ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem;beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.

⁷Possedi servos et ancillas,I obtained men and women servants,multamque familiam habui:and I had a great family,armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges,as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep,ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem;beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.

⁸coacervavi mihi argentum et aurum,I amassed for myself silver and gold,et substantias regum ac provinciarum;and the wealth of kings and governors.feci mihi cantores et cantatrices,I chose men and women singers,et delicias filiorum hominum,and the delights of the sons of men,scyphos, et urceos in ministerio ad vina fundenda;bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.

⁸coacervavi mihi argentum et aurum,I amassed for myself silver and gold,et substantias regum ac provinciarum;and the wealth of kings and governors.feci mihi cantores et cantatrices,I chose men and women singers,et delicias filiorum hominum,and the delights of the sons of men,scyphos, et urceos in ministerio ad vina fundenda;bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.

⁹et supergressus sum opibus omnes qui ante me fuerunt in Jerusalem:And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem.sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum.My wisdom also persevered with me.

⁹et supergressus sum opibus omnes qui ante me fuerunt in Jerusalem:And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem.sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum.My wisdom also persevered with me.

¹⁰Et omnia quæ desideraverunt oculi mei non negavi eis,And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them.nec prohibui cor meum quin omni voluptate frueretur,Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure,et oblectaret se in his quæ præparaveram;and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared.et hanc ratus sum partem meam si uterer labore meo.And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.

¹⁰Et omnia quæ desideraverunt oculi mei non negavi eis,And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them.nec prohibui cor meum quin omni voluptate frueretur,Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure,et oblectaret se in his quæ præparaveram;and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared.et hanc ratus sum partem meam si uterer labore meo.And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.

¹¹Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera quæ fecerant manus meæ,But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made,et ad labores in quibus frustra sudaveram,and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose,vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem animi,I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things,et nihil permanere sub sole.and that nothing is permanent under the sun.

¹¹Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera quæ fecerant manus meæ,But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made,et ad labores in quibus frustra sudaveram,and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose,vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem animi,I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things,et nihil permanere sub sole.and that nothing is permanent under the sun.

¹²Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam,I continued on,erroresque,so as to contemplate wisdom,et stultitiam.as well as error(Quid est,and foolishness.inquam,“What is man,”homo,I said,ut sequi possit regem,“that he would be able to follow his Maker,factorem suum?)the King?”

¹²Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam,I continued on,erroresque,so as to contemplate wisdom,et stultitiam.as well as error(Quid est,and foolishness.inquam,“What is man,”homo,I said,ut sequi possit regem,“that he would be able to follow his Maker,factorem suum?)the King?”

¹³Et vidi quod tantum præcederet sapientia stultitiam,And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness,quantum differt lux a tenebris.so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.

¹³Et vidi quod tantum præcederet sapientia stultitiam,And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness,quantum differt lux a tenebris.so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.

¹⁴Sapientis oculi in capite ejus;The eyes of a wise man are in his head.stultus in tenebris ambulat:A foolish man walks in darkness.et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.

¹⁴Sapientis oculi in capite ejus;The eyes of a wise man are in his head.stultus in tenebris ambulat:A foolish man walks in darkness.et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.

¹⁵Et dixi in corde meo:And I said in my heart:Si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit,“If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one,quid mihi prodest quod majorem sapientiæ dedi operam?how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?”Locutusque cum mente mea,And as I was speaking within my own mind,animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.

¹⁵Et dixi in corde meo:And I said in my heart:Si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit,“If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one,quid mihi prodest quod majorem sapientiæ dedi operam?how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?”Locutusque cum mente mea,And as I was speaking within my own mind,animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.

¹⁶Non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum,For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish.et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient:And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion.moritur doctus similiter ut indoctus.The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.

¹⁶Non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum,For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish.et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient:And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion.moritur doctus similiter ut indoctus.The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.

¹⁷Et idcirco tæduit me vitæ meæ,And, because of this, my life wearied me,videntem mala universa esse sub sole,since I saw that everything under the sun is evil,et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus.and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.

¹⁷Et idcirco tæduit me vitæ meæ,And, because of this, my life wearied me,videntem mala universa esse sub sole,since I saw that everything under the sun is evil,et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus.and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.

¹⁸Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam,Again, I detested all my efforts,qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi,by which I had earnestly labored under the sun,habiturus hæredem post me,to be taken up by an heir after me,

¹⁸Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam,Again, I detested all my efforts,qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi,by which I had earnestly labored under the sun,habiturus hæredem post me,to be taken up by an heir after me,

¹⁹quem ignoro utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit,though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish.et dominabitur in laboribus meis,And yet he will have power over my labors,quibus desudavi et sollicitus fui:in which I have toiled and been anxious.et est quidquam tam vanum?And is there anything else so empty?

¹⁹quem ignoro utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit,though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish.et dominabitur in laboribus meis,And yet he will have power over my labors,quibus desudavi et sollicitus fui:in which I have toiled and been anxious.et est quidquam tam vanum?And is there anything else so empty?

²⁰Unde cessavi,Therefore, I ceased,renuntiavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole.and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.

²⁰Unde cessavi,Therefore, I ceased,renuntiavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole.and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.

²¹Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia,For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine,et doctrina,and prudence,et sollicitudine, homini otioso quæsita dimittit;he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle.et hoc ergo vanitas et magnum malum.So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.

²¹Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia,For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine,et doctrina,and prudence,et sollicitudine, homini otioso quæsita dimittit;he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle.et hoc ergo vanitas et magnum malum.So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.

²²Quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo,For how can a man benefit from all his laboret afflictione spiritus,and affliction of spirit,qua sub sole cruciatus est?by which he has been tormented under the sun?

²²Quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo,For how can a man benefit from all his laboret afflictione spiritus,and affliction of spirit,qua sub sole cruciatus est?by which he has been tormented under the sun?

²³Cuncti dies ejus doloribusAll his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships;et ærumnis pleni sunt,neither does he rest his mind,nec per noctem mente requiescit.even in the night.Et hoc nonne vanitas est?And is this not emptiness?

²³Cuncti dies ejus doloribusAll his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships;et ærumnis pleni sunt,neither does he rest his mind,nec per noctem mente requiescit.even in the night.Et hoc nonne vanitas est?And is this not emptiness?

²⁴Nonne melius est comedere et bibere,Is it not better to eat and drink,et ostendere animæ suæ bona de laboribus suis?and to show his soul the good things of his labors?et hoc de manu Dei est.And this is from the hand of God.

²⁴Nonne melius est comedere et bibere,Is it not better to eat and drink,et ostendere animæ suæ bona de laboribus suis?and to show his soul the good things of his labors?et hoc de manu Dei est.And this is from the hand of God.

²⁵Quis ita devorabit et deliciis affluet ut ego?So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?

²⁵Quis ita devorabit et deliciis affluet ut ego?So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?

²⁶Homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam,God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom,et scientiam,and knowledge,et lætitiam;and rejoicing.peccatori autem dedit afflictionem et curam superfluam,But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add,ut addat,and to gather,et congreget,and to deliver,et tradat ei qui placuit Deo;to him who has pleased God. But this,sed et hoc vanitas est, et cassa sollicitudo mentis.too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.

²⁶Homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam,God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom,et scientiam,and knowledge,et lætitiam;and rejoicing.peccatori autem dedit afflictionem et curam superfluam,But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add,ut addat,and to gather,et congreget,and to deliver,et tradat ei qui placuit Deo;to him who has pleased God. But this,sed et hoc vanitas est, et cassa sollicitudo mentis.too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.