Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
Melius est nomen bonum, quam unguenta pretiosa: et dies mortis die nativitatis.
2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
Melius est ire ad domum luctus, quam ad domum convivii: in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum, et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
Melior est ira risu: quia per tristitiam vultus, corrigitur animus delinquentis.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est, et cor stultorum ubi laetitia.
5 [It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Melius est a sapiente corripi, quam stultorum adulatione decipi.
6 As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti: sed et hoc vanitas.
7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
Calumnia conturbat sapientem, et perdet robur cordis illius.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
Melior est finis orationis, quam principium. Melior est patiens arrogante.
9 Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
Ne sis velox ad irascendum: quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.
10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
Ne dicas: Quid putas causae est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt? stulta enim est huiuscemodi interrogatio.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis, et magis prodest videntibus solem.
12 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia. hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia, quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.
13 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.
14 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
In die bona fruere bonis, et malam diem praecave. sicut enim hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ut non inveniat homo contra eum iustas querimonias.
15 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
Haec quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meae: Iustus perit in iustitia sua, et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.
16 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.
Noli esse iustus multum: neque plus sapias quam necesse est, ne obstupescas.
17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.
Ne impie agas multum: et noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.
18 It is well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
Bonum est te sustentare iustum, et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam: quia qui timet Deum, nihil negligit.
19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis.
20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
Non est enim homo iustus in terra, qui faciat bonum, et non peccet.
21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.
Sed et cunctis sermonibus, qui dicuntur, ne accomodes cor tuum: ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi.
22 For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.
scit enim conscientia tua, quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.
23 All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Cuncta tentavi in sapientia. Dixi: Sapiens efficiar: et ipsa longius recessit a me
24 [That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
multo magis quam erat: et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?
25 I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem, et considerarem, et quaererem sapientiam, et rationem: et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti, et errorem imprudentium:
26 And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
et inveni amariorem morte mulierem, quae laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor eius, vincula sunt manus illius. qui placet Deo, effugiet illam: qui autem peccator est, capietur ab illa.
27 Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum, ut invenirem rationem,
28 which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
quam adhuc quaerit anima mea, et non inveni. Virum de mille unum reperi, mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.
29 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quaestionibus. Quis talis ut sapiens est? et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?
