Ecclesiastes 6
1 est et aliud malum quod vidi sub sole et quidem frequens apud homines
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2 vir cui dedit Deus divitias et substantiam et honorem et nihil deest animae eius ex omnibus quae desiderat nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo sed homo extraneus vorabit illud hoc vanitas et magna miseria est
A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 si genuerit quispiam centum et vixerit multos annos et plures dies aetatis habuerit et anima illius non utatur bonis substantiae suae sepulturaque careat de hoc ego pronuntio quod melior illo sit abortivus
If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 frustra enim venit et pergit ad tenebras et oblivione delebitur nomen eius
For he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 non vidit solem neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other.
6 etiam si duobus milibus annis vixerit et non fuerit perfruitus bonis nonne ad unum locum properant omnia
Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7 omnis labor hominis in ore eius sed anima illius non impletur
All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8 quid habet amplius sapiens ab stulto et quid pauper nisi ut pergat illuc ubi est vita
For what has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk before the living?
9 melius est videre quod cupias quam desiderare quod nescias sed et hoc vanitas est et praesumptio spiritus
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10 qui futurus est iam vocatum est nomen eius et scitur quod homo sit et non possit contra fortiorem se in iudicio contendere
That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 verba sunt plurima multa in disputando habentia vanitatem
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12 quid necesse est homini maiora se quaerere cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita sua numero dierum peregrinationis suae et tempore quo velut umbra praeterit aut quis ei poterit indicare quid post eum futurum sub sole sit
For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
