Ecclesiastes 7
1 Melius est nomen bonum, quam unguenta pretiosa: et dies mortis die nativitatis.
Better a name, than precious ointment, —and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
2 Melius est ire ad domum luctus, quam ad domum convivii: in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum, et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.
Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, —and, the living, should take it to his heart.
3 Melior est ira risu: quia per tristitiam vultus, corrigitur animus delinquentis.
Better is grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.
4 Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est, et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.
The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.
5 Melius est a sapiente corripi, quam stultorum adulatione decipi.
Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,
6 Quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti: sed et hoc vanitas.
For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.
7 Calumnia conturbat sapientem, et perdet robur cordis illius.
For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.
8 Melior est finis orationis, quam principium. Melior est patiens arrogante.
Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.
9 Ne sis velox ad irascendum: quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.
Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.
10 Ne dicas: Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt? Stulta enim est huiuscemodi interrogatio.
Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.
11 Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis, et magis prodest videntibus solem.
Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as see the sun.
12 Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia. Hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia, quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.
For, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, —but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.
13 Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.
Consider the work of God, —for who can straighten what he hath bent?
14 In die bona fruere bonis, et malam diem præcave. Sicut enim hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ut non inveniat homo contra eum iustas querimonias.
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, —Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out—after him—nothing.
15 Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ: Iustus perit in iustitia sua, et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.
Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, —Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in his wickedness.
16 Noli esse iustus multum: neque plus sapias quam necesse est, ne obstupescas.
Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Ne impie agas multum: et noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.
Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst thou die, before thy time?
18 Bonum est te sustentare iustum, sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam: quia qui timet Deum, nihil negligit.
It is well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, —for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of them all.
19 Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis.
Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.
20 Non est enim homo iustus in terra, qui faciat bonum, et non peccet.
For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Sed et cunctis sermonibus, qui dicuntur, ne accomodes cor tuum: ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi.
Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, —lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!
22 Scit enim conscientia tua, quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.
For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.
23 Cuncta tentavi in sapientia. Dixi: Sapiens efficiar: et ipsa longius recessit a me
All this, have I proved by wisdom, —I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.
24 multo magis quam erat: et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?
Far away, is that which hath been, —and deep, deep, who can find it out?
25 Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem, et considerarem, et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem: et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti, et errorem imprudentium:
Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion, —and to know lawlessness [to be] stupidity, and folly to be madness.
26 et inveni amariorem morte mulierem, quæ laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor eius, vincula sunt manus illius. Qui placet Deo, effugiet illam: qui autem peccator est, capietur ab illa.
I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, —whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured by her.
27 Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum, ut invenirem rationem,
See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;
28 quam adhuc quærit anima mea, et non inveni. Virum de mille unum reperi, mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.
what my soul still sought, yet I found not, —one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, have I not found.
29 Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus. Quis talis ut sapiens est? Et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?
Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.
