¹Verba Congregantis,The words of the Gatherer,filii Vomentis.the son of the Vomiter.Visio quam locutus est vir cum quo est Deus,The vision that the man spoke. God is with him, and he,et qui Deo secum morante confortatus,being strengthened by God and abiding with him,ait:said:

¹Verba Congregantis,The words of the Gatherer,filii Vomentis.the son of the Vomiter.Visio quam locutus est vir cum quo est Deus,The vision that the man spoke. God is with him, and he,et qui Deo secum morante confortatus,being strengthened by God and abiding with him,ait:said:

²Stultissimus sum virorum,“I am the most foolish among men,et sapientia hominum non est mecum.and the wisdom of men is not with me.

²Stultissimus sum virorum,“I am the most foolish among men,et sapientia hominum non est mecum.and the wisdom of men is not with me.

³Non didici sapientiam,I have not learned wisdom,et non novi scientiam sanctorum.and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.

³Non didici sapientiam,I have not learned wisdom,et non novi scientiam sanctorum.and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.

⁴Quis ascendit in cælum,Who has ascended to heaven and also descended?atque descendit?Who has grasped the wind in his hands?quis continuit spiritum in manibus suis?Who has tied the waters together,quis colligavit aquas quasi in vestimento?as with a garment?quis suscitavit omnes terminos terræ?Who has raised all the limits of the earth?quod nomen est ejus,What is his name,et quod nomen filii ejus,and what is the name of his son,si nosti?if you know?

⁴Quis ascendit in cælum,Who has ascended to heaven and also descended?atque descendit?Who has grasped the wind in his hands?quis continuit spiritum in manibus suis?Who has tied the waters together,quis colligavit aquas quasi in vestimento?as with a garment?quis suscitavit omnes terminos terræ?Who has raised all the limits of the earth?quod nomen est ejus,What is his name,et quod nomen filii ejus,and what is the name of his son,si nosti?if you know?

⁵Omnis sermo Dei ignitus:Every word of God is fire-tested.clypeus est sperantibus in se.He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.

⁵Omnis sermo Dei ignitus:Every word of God is fire-tested.clypeus est sperantibus in se.He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.

⁶Ne addas quidquam verbis illius,Do not add anything to his words,et arguaris,lest you be reprovedinveniarisque mendax.and be discovered to be a liar.

⁶Ne addas quidquam verbis illius,Do not add anything to his words,et arguaris,lest you be reprovedinveniarisque mendax.and be discovered to be a liar.

⁷Duo rogavi te:Two things I have asked of you;ne deneges mihi antequam moriar:do not deny them to me before I die.

⁷Duo rogavi te:Two things I have asked of you;ne deneges mihi antequam moriar:do not deny them to me before I die.

⁸vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me;Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words.mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi:Give me neither begging, nor wealth.tribue tantum victui meo necessaria,Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,

⁸vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me;Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words.mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi:Give me neither begging, nor wealth.tribue tantum victui meo necessaria,Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,

⁹ne forte satiatus illiciar ad negandum,lest perhaps, being filled, I might be enticed into denial,et dicam:and say:Quis est Dominus?‘Who is the Lord?’ Or,aut egestate compulsus, furer,being compelled by destitution, I might steal,et perjurem nomen Dei mei.and then perjure myself in the name of my God.

⁹ne forte satiatus illiciar ad negandum,lest perhaps, being filled, I might be enticed into denial,et dicam:and say:Quis est Dominus?‘Who is the Lord?’ Or,aut egestate compulsus, furer,being compelled by destitution, I might steal,et perjurem nomen Dei mei.and then perjure myself in the name of my God.

¹⁰Ne accuses servum ad dominum suum,Do not accuse a servant to his lord,ne forte maledicat tibi,lest he curse you,et corruas.and you fall.

¹⁰Ne accuses servum ad dominum suum,Do not accuse a servant to his lord,ne forte maledicat tibi,lest he curse you,et corruas.and you fall.

¹¹Generatio quæ patri suo maledicit,There is a generation which curses their father,et quæ matri suæ non benedicit;and which does not bless their mother.

¹¹Generatio quæ patri suo maledicit,There is a generation which curses their father,et quæ matri suæ non benedicit;and which does not bless their mother.

¹²generatio quæ sibi munda videtur,There is a generation which seems pure to themselves,et tamen non est lota a sordibus suis;and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.

¹²generatio quæ sibi munda videtur,There is a generation which seems pure to themselves,et tamen non est lota a sordibus suis;and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.

¹³generatio cujus excelsi sunt oculi,There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated,et palpebræ ejus in alta surrectæ;and their eyelids are lifted on high.

¹³generatio cujus excelsi sunt oculi,There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated,et palpebræ ejus in alta surrectæ;and their eyelids are lifted on high.

¹⁴generatio quæ pro dentibus gladios habet,There is a generation which has swords in place of teeth,et commandit molaribus suis, ut comedat inopes de terra, et pauperes ex hominibus.and which commands their molars to devour the indigent from the earth and the poor from among men.

¹⁴generatio quæ pro dentibus gladios habet,There is a generation which has swords in place of teeth,et commandit molaribus suis, ut comedat inopes de terra, et pauperes ex hominibus.and which commands their molars to devour the indigent from the earth and the poor from among men.

¹⁵Sanguisugæ duæ sunt filiæ,The leech has two daughters,dicentes:who say,Affer,‘Bring,affer.bring.’Tria sunt insaturabilia,Three things are insatiable,et quartum quod numquam dicit: Sufficit.and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:

¹⁵Sanguisugæ duæ sunt filiæ,The leech has two daughters,dicentes:who say,Affer,‘Bring,affer.bring.’Tria sunt insaturabilia,Three things are insatiable,et quartum quod numquam dicit: Sufficit.and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:

¹⁶Infernus, et os vulvæ,Hell, and the mouth of the womb,et terra quæ non satiatur aqua:and a land that is not filled with water.ignis vero numquam dicit:And truly, fire never says,Sufficit.‘Enough.’

¹⁶Infernus, et os vulvæ,Hell, and the mouth of the womb,et terra quæ non satiatur aqua:and a land that is not filled with water.ignis vero numquam dicit:And truly, fire never says,Sufficit.‘Enough.’

¹⁷Oculum qui subsannat patrem,The eye of one who mocks his fatheret qui despicit partum matris suæ,and who despises the childbearing of his mother,effodiant eum corvi de torrentibus,let the ravens of the torrent tear it out,et comedant eum filii aquilæ!and let the sons of the eagles consume it.

¹⁷Oculum qui subsannat patrem,The eye of one who mocks his fatheret qui despicit partum matris suæ,and who despises the childbearing of his mother,effodiant eum corvi de torrentibus,let the ravens of the torrent tear it out,et comedant eum filii aquilæ!and let the sons of the eagles consume it.

¹⁸Tria sunt difficilia mihi,Three things are difficult for me,et quartum penitus ignoro:and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:

¹⁸Tria sunt difficilia mihi,Three things are difficult for me,et quartum penitus ignoro:and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:

¹⁹viam aquilæ in cælo,the way of an eagle in the sky,viam colubri super petram,the way of a serpent on a rock,viam navis in medio mari,the way of a ship in the middle of the sea,et viam viri in adolescentia.and the way of a man in adolescence.

¹⁹viam aquilæ in cælo,the way of an eagle in the sky,viam colubri super petram,the way of a serpent on a rock,viam navis in medio mari,the way of a ship in the middle of the sea,et viam viri in adolescentia.and the way of a man in adolescence.

²⁰Talis estSuch is the way also of an adulterous woman,et via mulieris adulteræ,who eats,quæ comedit,and wiping her mouth,et tergens os suum dicit:says:Non sum operata malum.“I have done no evil.”

²⁰Talis estSuch is the way also of an adulterous woman,et via mulieris adulteræ,who eats,quæ comedit,and wiping her mouth,et tergens os suum dicit:says:Non sum operata malum.“I have done no evil.”

²¹Per tria movetur terra,By three things, the earth is moved,et quartum non potest sustinere:and a fourth it is not able to sustain:

²¹Per tria movetur terra,By three things, the earth is moved,et quartum non potest sustinere:and a fourth it is not able to sustain:

²²per servum, cum regnaverit;by a slave when he reigns,per stultum, cum saturatus fuerit cibo;by the foolish when he has been filled with food,

²²per servum, cum regnaverit;by a slave when he reigns,per stultum, cum saturatus fuerit cibo;by the foolish when he has been filled with food,

²³per odiosam mulierem, cum in matrimonio fuerit assumpta;by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony,et per ancillam, cum fuerit hæres dominæ suæ.and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.

²³per odiosam mulierem, cum in matrimonio fuerit assumpta;by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony,et per ancillam, cum fuerit hæres dominæ suæ.and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.

²⁴Quatuor sunt minima terræ,Four things are least upon the earth,et ipsa sunt sapientiora sapientibus:and they are wiser than the wise:

²⁴Quatuor sunt minima terræ,Four things are least upon the earth,et ipsa sunt sapientiora sapientibus:and they are wiser than the wise:

²⁵formicæ,the ants,populus infirmus, qui præparat in messe cibum sibi;an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,

²⁵formicæ,the ants,populus infirmus, qui præparat in messe cibum sibi;an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,

²⁶lepusculus,the rabbit,plebs invalida, qui collocat in petra cubile suum;a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.

²⁶lepusculus,the rabbit,plebs invalida, qui collocat in petra cubile suum;a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.

²⁷regem locusta non habet,The locust has no king,et egreditur universa per turmas suas;but they all depart by their troops.

²⁷regem locusta non habet,The locust has no king,et egreditur universa per turmas suas;but they all depart by their troops.

²⁸stellio manibus nititur,The lizard supports itself on handset moratur in ædibus regis.and dwells in the buildings of kings.

²⁸stellio manibus nititur,The lizard supports itself on handset moratur in ædibus regis.and dwells in the buildings of kings.

²⁹Tria sunt quæ bene gradiuntur,There are three things that advance well,et quartum quod incedit feliciter:and a fourth that marches happily on:

²⁹Tria sunt quæ bene gradiuntur,There are three things that advance well,et quartum quod incedit feliciter:and a fourth that marches happily on:

³⁰leo,a lion,fortissimus bestiarum,the strongest of beasts,ad nullius pavebit occursum;who fears nothing that he meets,

³⁰leo,a lion,fortissimus bestiarum,the strongest of beasts,ad nullius pavebit occursum;who fears nothing that he meets,

³¹gallus succinctus lumbos;a rooster prepared at the loins,et aries;likewise a ram,nec est rex,and a king,qui resistat ei.whom none can resist.

³¹gallus succinctus lumbos;a rooster prepared at the loins,et aries;likewise a ram,nec est rex,and a king,qui resistat ei.whom none can resist.

³²Est qui stultus apparuit postquam elevatus est in sublime;There is one who has appeared foolish, after he was lifted up on high;si enim intellexisset,for if he had understood,ori suo imposuisset manum.he would have placed his hand over his mouth.

³²Est qui stultus apparuit postquam elevatus est in sublime;There is one who has appeared foolish, after he was lifted up on high;si enim intellexisset,for if he had understood,ori suo imposuisset manum.he would have placed his hand over his mouth.

³³Qui autem fortiter premit ubera ad eliciendum lac exprimit butyrum;But whoever strongly squeezes the udder to bring out the milk, presses out butter.et qui vehementer emungit elicit sanguinem;And whoever violently blows his nose, brings out blood.et qui provocat iras producit discordias.And whoever provokes wrath, brings forth discord.”

³³Qui autem fortiter premit ubera ad eliciendum lac exprimit butyrum;But whoever strongly squeezes the udder to bring out the milk, presses out butter.et qui vehementer emungit elicit sanguinem;And whoever violently blows his nose, brings out blood.et qui provocat iras producit discordias.And whoever provokes wrath, brings forth discord.”