¹Ne temere quid loquaris, neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo.You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God.Deus enim in cælo,For God is in heaven,et tu super terram;and you are on earth.idcirco sint pauci sermones tui.For this reason, let your words be few.

¹Ne temere quid loquaris, neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo.You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God.Deus enim in cælo,For God is in heaven,et tu super terram;and you are on earth.idcirco sint pauci sermones tui.For this reason, let your words be few.

²Multas curas sequuntur somnia,Dreams follow many worries,et in multis sermonibus invenietur stultitia.and in many words foolishness will be found.

²Multas curas sequuntur somnia,Dreams follow many worries,et in multis sermonibus invenietur stultitia.and in many words foolishness will be found.

³Si quid vovisti Deo,If you have vowed anything to God,ne moreris reddere:you should not delay to repay it.displicet enim ei infidelisAnd whatever you have vowed,et stulta promissio,render it.sed quodcumque voveris redde:But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.

³Si quid vovisti Deo,If you have vowed anything to God,ne moreris reddere:you should not delay to repay it.displicet enim ei infidelisAnd whatever you have vowed,et stulta promissio,render it.sed quodcumque voveris redde:But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.

⁴multoque melius est non vovere,And it is much better not to make a vow,quam post votum promissa non reddere.than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.

⁴multoque melius est non vovere,And it is much better not to make a vow,quam post votum promissa non reddere.than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.

⁵Ne dederis os tuum ut peccare facias carnem tuam,You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin.neque dicas coram angelo:And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel,Non est providentia:“There is no Providence.”ne forte iratus Deus contra sermones tuos dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum.For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.

⁵Ne dederis os tuum ut peccare facias carnem tuam,You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin.neque dicas coram angelo:And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel,Non est providentia:“There is no Providence.”ne forte iratus Deus contra sermones tuos dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum.For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.

⁶Ubi multa sunt somnia,Where there are many dreams,plurimæ sunt vanitates,there are many vanities and innumerable words.et sermones innumeri;Yet truly,tu vero Deum time.you must fear God.

⁶Ubi multa sunt somnia,Where there are many dreams,plurimæ sunt vanitates,there are many vanities and innumerable words.et sermones innumeri;Yet truly,tu vero Deum time.you must fear God.

⁷Si videris calumnias egenorum,If you see false accusations against the indigent,et violenta judicia,and violent judgments,et subverti justitiam in provincia,and subverted justice in the government,non mireris super hoc negotio:do not be surprised over this situation.quia excelso excelsior est alius,For those in high places have others who are higher,et super hos quoque eminentiores sunt alii;and there are still others, more eminent, over these.

⁷Si videris calumnias egenorum,If you see false accusations against the indigent,et violenta judicia,and violent judgments,et subverti justitiam in provincia,and subverted justice in the government,non mireris super hoc negotio:do not be surprised over this situation.quia excelso excelsior est alius,For those in high places have others who are higher,et super hos quoque eminentiores sunt alii;and there are still others, more eminent, over these.

⁸et insuper universæ terræ rex imperat servienti.But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.

⁸et insuper universæ terræ rex imperat servienti.But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.

⁹Avarus non implebitur pecunia,A greedy man will not be satisfied by money.et qui amat divitias fructum non capiet ex eis;And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore,et hoc ergo vanitas.this, too, is emptiness.

⁹Avarus non implebitur pecunia,A greedy man will not be satisfied by money.et qui amat divitias fructum non capiet ex eis;And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore,et hoc ergo vanitas.this, too, is emptiness.

¹⁰Ubi multæ sunt opes,Where there are many riches,multi et qui comedunt eas.there will also be many to consume these things.Et quid prodest possessori,And how does it benefit the one who possesses,nisi quod cernit divitias oculis suis?except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?

¹⁰Ubi multæ sunt opes,Where there are many riches,multi et qui comedunt eas.there will also be many to consume these things.Et quid prodest possessori,And how does it benefit the one who possesses,nisi quod cernit divitias oculis suis?except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?

¹¹Dulcis est somnus operanti,Sleep is sweet to one who works,sive parum sive multum comedat;whether he consumes little or much.saturitas autem divitis non sinit eum dormire.But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.

¹¹Dulcis est somnus operanti,Sleep is sweet to one who works,sive parum sive multum comedat;whether he consumes little or much.saturitas autem divitis non sinit eum dormire.But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.

¹²EstThere is even another most burdensome infirmity,et alia infirmitas pessima quam vidi sub sole:which I have seen under the sun:divitiæ conservatæ in malum domini sui.wealth kept to the harm of the owner.

¹²EstThere is even another most burdensome infirmity,et alia infirmitas pessima quam vidi sub sole:which I have seen under the sun:divitiæ conservatæ in malum domini sui.wealth kept to the harm of the owner.

¹³Pereunt enim in afflictione pessima:For they are lost in a most grievous affliction.generavit filium qui in summa egestate erit.He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.

¹³Pereunt enim in afflictione pessima:For they are lost in a most grievous affliction.generavit filium qui in summa egestate erit.He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.

¹⁴Sicut egressus est nudus de utero matris suæ,Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb,sic revertetur,so shall he return,et nihil auferet secum de labore suo.and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.

¹⁴Sicut egressus est nudus de utero matris suæ,Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb,sic revertetur,so shall he return,et nihil auferet secum de labore suo.and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.

¹⁵Miserabilis prorsus infirmitas: quomodo venit,It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived,sic revertetur.so shall he return.Quid ergo prodest ei quod laboravit in ventum?How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?

¹⁵Miserabilis prorsus infirmitas: quomodo venit,It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived,sic revertetur.so shall he return.Quid ergo prodest ei quod laboravit in ventum?How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?

¹⁶cunctis diebus vitæ suæ comedit in tenebris,All the days of his life he consumes:et in curis multis,in darkness,et in ærumnaand with many worries,atque tristitia.and in distress as well as sadness.

¹⁶cunctis diebus vitæ suæ comedit in tenebris,All the days of his life he consumes:et in curis multis,in darkness,et in ærumnaand with many worries,atque tristitia.and in distress as well as sadness.

¹⁷Hoc itaque visum est mihi bonum,And so, this has seemed good to me:ut comedat quis et bibat,that a person should eat and drink,et fruatur lætitia ex labore suo quo laboravit ipse sub sole,and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun,numero dierum vitæ suæ quos dedit ei Deus;for the number of the days of his life that God has given him.et hæc est pars illius.For this is his portion.

¹⁷Hoc itaque visum est mihi bonum,And so, this has seemed good to me:ut comedat quis et bibat,that a person should eat and drink,et fruatur lætitia ex labore suo quo laboravit ipse sub sole,and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun,numero dierum vitæ suæ quos dedit ei Deus;for the number of the days of his life that God has given him.et hæc est pars illius.For this is his portion.

¹⁸Et omni homini cui dedit Deus divitias atque substantiam,And this is a gift from God:potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis,that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources,et fruatur parte sua,and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these,et lætetur de labore suo:may enjoy his portion,hoc est donum Dei.and may find joy in his labors.

¹⁸Et omni homini cui dedit Deus divitias atque substantiam,And this is a gift from God:potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis,that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources,et fruatur parte sua,and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these,et lætetur de labore suo:may enjoy his portion,hoc est donum Dei.and may find joy in his labors.

¹⁹Non enim satis recordabitur dierum vitæ suæ,And then he will not fully remember the days of his life,eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cor ejus.because God occupies his heart with delights.

¹⁹Non enim satis recordabitur dierum vitæ suæ,And then he will not fully remember the days of his life,eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cor ejus.because God occupies his heart with delights.