¹Quid necesse est homini majora se quærere,Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself,cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita sua,when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life,numero dierum peregrinationis suæ,during the number of the days of his sojourn,et tempore quod velut umbra præterit?and while time passes by like a shadow?aut quis ei poterit indicare quod post eum futurum sub sole sit?Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?

¹Quid necesse est homini majora se quærere,Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself,cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita sua,when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life,numero dierum peregrinationis suæ,during the number of the days of his sojourn,et tempore quod velut umbra præterit?and while time passes by like a shadow?aut quis ei poterit indicare quod post eum futurum sub sole sit?Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?

²Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa,A good name is better than precious ointments,et dies mortis die nativitatis.and a day of death is better than a day of birth.

²Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa,A good name is better than precious ointments,et dies mortis die nativitatis.and a day of death is better than a day of birth.

³Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii;It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting.in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum,For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things,et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.so that the living consider what may be in the future.

³Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii;It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting.in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum,For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things,et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.so that the living consider what may be in the future.

⁴Melior est ira risu,Anger is better than laughter.quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.

⁴Melior est ira risu,Anger is better than laughter.quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.

⁵Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est,The heart of the wise is a place of mourning,et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.

⁵Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est,The heart of the wise is a place of mourning,et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.

⁶Melius est a sapiente corripi,It is better to be corrected by a wise man,quam stultorum adulatione decipi;than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.

⁶Melius est a sapiente corripi,It is better to be corrected by a wise man,quam stultorum adulatione decipi;than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.

⁷quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla,For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot,sic risus stulti.so is the laughter of the foolish.Sed et hoc vanitas.But this, too, is emptiness.

⁷quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla,For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot,sic risus stulti.so is the laughter of the foolish.Sed et hoc vanitas.But this, too, is emptiness.

⁸Calumnia conturbat sapientem,A false accusation troubles the wise manet perdet robur cordis illius.and saps the strength of his heart.

⁸Calumnia conturbat sapientem,A false accusation troubles the wise manet perdet robur cordis illius.and saps the strength of his heart.

⁹Melior est finis orationis quam principium.The end of a speech is better than the beginning.Melior est patiens arrogante.Patience is better than arrogance.

⁹Melior est finis orationis quam principium.The end of a speech is better than the beginning.Melior est patiens arrogante.Patience is better than arrogance.

¹⁰Ne sis velox ad irascendum,Do not be quickly moved to anger.quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.

¹⁰Ne sis velox ad irascendum,Do not be quickly moved to anger.quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.

¹¹Ne dicas:You should not say:Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt?“What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?”stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.For this type of question is foolish.

¹¹Ne dicas:You should not say:Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt?“What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?”stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.For this type of question is foolish.

¹²Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis,Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous,et magis prodest videntibus solem.for those who see the sun.

¹²Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis,Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous,et magis prodest videntibus solem.for those who see the sun.

¹³Sicut enim protegit sapientia,For as wisdom protects,sic protegit pecunia;so also does money protect.hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia,But learning and wisdom have this much more:quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.that they grant life to one who possesses them.

¹³Sicut enim protegit sapientia,For as wisdom protects,sic protegit pecunia;so also does money protect.hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia,But learning and wisdom have this much more:quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.that they grant life to one who possesses them.

¹⁴Considera opera Dei,Consider the works of God,quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.

¹⁴Considera opera Dei,Consider the works of God,quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.

¹⁵In die bona fruere bonis,In good times,et malam diem præcave;enjoy good things,sicut enim hanc,but beware of an evil time.sicFor just as God has established the one,et illam fecit Deus,so also the other,ut non inveniat homo contra eum justas querimonias.in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.

¹⁵In die bona fruere bonis,In good times,et malam diem præcave;enjoy good things,sicut enim hanc,but beware of an evil time.sicFor just as God has established the one,et illam fecit Deus,so also the other,ut non inveniat homo contra eum justas querimonias.in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.

¹⁶Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ:I also saw this, in the days of my vanity:justus perit in justitia sua,a just man perishing in his justice,et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.and an impious man living a long time in his malice.

¹⁶Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ:I also saw this, in the days of my vanity:justus perit in justitia sua,a just man perishing in his justice,et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.and an impious man living a long time in his malice.

¹⁷Noli esse justus multum,Do not try to be overly just,neque plus sapias quam necesse est,and do not try to be more wise than is necessary,ne obstupescas.lest you become stupid.

¹⁷Noli esse justus multum,Do not try to be overly just,neque plus sapias quam necesse est,and do not try to be more wise than is necessary,ne obstupescas.lest you become stupid.

¹⁸Ne impie agas multum,Do not act with great impiety,et noli esse stultus,and do not choose to be foolish,ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.lest you die before your time.

¹⁸Ne impie agas multum,Do not act with great impiety,et noli esse stultus,and do not choose to be foolish,ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.lest you die before your time.

¹⁹Bonum est te sustentare justum:It is good for you to support a just man.sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam;Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him,quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.

¹⁹Bonum est te sustentare justum:It is good for you to support a just man.sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam;Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him,quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.

²⁰Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis;Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.

²⁰Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis;Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.

²¹non est enim homo justus in terra qui faciat bonumBut there is no just man on earth,et non peccet.who does good and does not sin.

²¹non est enim homo justus in terra qui faciat bonumBut there is no just man on earth,et non peccet.who does good and does not sin.

²²SedSo then,et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur ne accomodes cor tuum,do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken,ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.

²²SedSo then,et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur ne accomodes cor tuum,do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken,ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.

²³scit enim conscientia tua quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.

²³scit enim conscientia tua quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.

²⁴Cuncta tentavi in sapientia.I have tested everything in wisdom.Dixi:I have said:Sapiens efficiar:“I will be wise.”et ipsa longius recessit a me,And wisdom withdrew farther from me,

²⁴Cuncta tentavi in sapientia.I have tested everything in wisdom.Dixi:I have said:Sapiens efficiar:“I will be wise.”et ipsa longius recessit a me,And wisdom withdrew farther from me,

²⁵multo magis quam erat.so much more than it was before.Et alta profunditas,Wisdom is very profound,quis inveniet eam?so who shall reveal her?

²⁵multo magis quam erat.so much more than it was before.Et alta profunditas,Wisdom is very profound,quis inveniet eam?so who shall reveal her?

²⁶Lustravi universa animo meo,I have examined all things in my soul,ut scirem et considerarem,so that I may know,et quærerem sapientiam,and consider,et rationem,and seek out wisdom and reason,et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti,and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish,et errorem imprudentium:and the error of the imprudent.

²⁶Lustravi universa animo meo,I have examined all things in my soul,ut scirem et considerarem,so that I may know,et quærerem sapientiam,and consider,et rationem,and seek out wisdom and reason,et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti,and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish,et errorem imprudentium:and the error of the imprudent.

²⁷et inveni amariorem morte mulierem,And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death:quæ laqueus venatorum est,she who is like the snare of a hunter,et sagena cor ejus;and whose heart is like a net,vincula sunt manus illius.and whose hands are like chains.Qui placet Deo effugiet illam;Whoever pleases God shall flee from her.qui autem peccator est capietur ab illa.But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.

²⁷et inveni amariorem morte mulierem,And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death:quæ laqueus venatorum est,she who is like the snare of a hunter,et sagena cor ejus;and whose heart is like a net,vincula sunt manus illius.and whose hands are like chains.Qui placet Deo effugiet illam;Whoever pleases God shall flee from her.qui autem peccator est capietur ab illa.But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.

²⁸Ecce hoc inveni,Behold, Ecclesiastes said,dixit Ecclesiastes,I have discovered these things,unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation

²⁸Ecce hoc inveni,Behold, Ecclesiastes said,dixit Ecclesiastes,I have discovered these things,unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation

²⁹quam adhuc quærit anima mea, et non inveni.which my soul still seeks and has not found.Virum de mille unum reperi;One man among a thousand, I have found;mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.a woman among them all, I have not found.

²⁹quam adhuc quærit anima mea, et non inveni.which my soul still seeks and has not found.Virum de mille unum reperi;One man among a thousand, I have found;mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.a woman among them all, I have not found.

³⁰Solummodo hoc inveni,This alone have I discovered:quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum,that God made man righteous,et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus.and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions.Quis talis ut sapiens est?Who is so great as the wise?et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?And who has understood the meaning of the word?

³⁰Solummodo hoc inveni,This alone have I discovered:quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum,that God made man righteous,et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus.and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions.Quis talis ut sapiens est?Who is so great as the wise?et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?And who has understood the meaning of the word?