1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

1 Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Jerusalem.

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

2 ¶ Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes;
vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.

3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

3 Quid habet amplius homo
de universo labore suo quo laborat sub sole?

4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

4 ¶ Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit;
terra autem in æternum stat.

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

5 Oritur sol et occidit,
et ad locum suum revertitur;
ibique renascens,

6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

6 gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem.
Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus,
et in circulos suos revertitur.

7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

7 Omnia flumina intrant in mare,
et mare non redundat;
ad locum unde exeunt flumina
revertuntur ut iterum fluant.

8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

8 Cunctæ res difficiles;
non potest eas homo explicare sermone.
Non saturatur oculus visu,
nec auris auditu impletur.

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

9 Quid est quod fuit? Ipsum quod futurum est.
Quid est quod factum est? Ipsum quod faciendum est.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

10 Nihil sub sole novum,
nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est:
jam enim præcessit in sæculis quæ fuerunt ante nos.

11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

11 Non est priorum memoria;
sed nec eorum quidem quæ postea futura sunt
erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo.

12 ¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

12 ¶ Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israël in Jerusalem;

13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

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.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

14 Vidi cuncta quæ fiunt sub sole,
et ecce universa vanitas et afflictio spiritus.

15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

15 Perversi difficile corriguntur,
et stultorum infinitus est numerus.

16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

16 Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens:
Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia
qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem;
et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.

17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

17 Dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam,
erroresque et stultitiam;
et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et afflictio spiritus:

18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio;
et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.