Ecclesiastes 1
1 Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Ierusalem.
The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
2 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes: vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.
Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
3 Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo, quo laborat sub sole?
What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
4 Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit: terra autem in æternum stat.
One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
5 Oritur sol, et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur: ibique renascens,
The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
6 gyrat per Meridiem, et flectitur ad Aquilonem: lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
7 Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat: ad locum, unde exeunt flumina, revertuntur ut iterum fluant.
All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.
8 Cunctæ res difficiles: non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.
All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.
9 Quid est quod fuit? ipsum quod futurum est. Quid est quod factum est? ipsum quod faciendum est.
What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.
10 Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: iam enim præcessit in sæculis, quæ fuerunt ante nos.
Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.
11 Non est priorum memoria: sed nec eorum quidem, quæ postea futura sunt, erit recordatio apud eos, qui futuri sunt in novissimo.
There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.
12 Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israel in Ierusalem,
I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
13 et proposui in animo meo quærere et investigare sapienter de omnibus, quæ fiunt sub sole. Hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut occuparentur in ea.
And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)
14 Vidi cuncta, quæ fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas, et afflictio spiritus.
I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
15 Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.
That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
16 Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia, qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem: et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.
I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.
17 Dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam, atque doctrinam, erroresque et stultitiam: et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor, et afflictio spiritus,
And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio: et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.
For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.
