1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

1 Est et aliud malum quod vidi sub sole,
et quidem frequens apud homines:

2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

2 vir cui dedit Deus divitias,
et substantiam, et honorem,
et nihil deest animæ suæ ex omnibus quæ desiderat;
nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo,
sed homo extraneus vorabit illud:
hoc vanitas et miseria magna est.

3 ¶ 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.

3 Si genuerit quispiam centum liberos,
et vixerit multos annos,
et plures dies ætatis habuerit,
et anima illius non utatur bonis substantiæ suæ,
sepulturaque careat:
de hoc ego pronuntio quod melior illo sit abortivus.

4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

4 Frustra enim venit,
et pergit ad tenebras,
et oblivione delebitur nomen ejus.

5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

5 Non vidit solem,
neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali.

6 ¶ Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

6 Etiam si duobus millibus annis vixerit,
et non fuerit perfruitus bonis,
nonne ad unum locum properant omnia?

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

7 Omnis labor hominis in ore ejus;
sed anima ejus non implebitur.

8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

8 Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto?
et quid pauper, nisi ut pergat illuc ubi est vita?

9 ¶ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

9 Melius est videre quod cupias,
quam desiderare quod nescias.
Sed et hoc vanitas est, et præsumptio spiritus.

10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

10 Qui futurus est, jam vocatum est nomen ejus;
et scitur quod homo sit,
et non possit contra fortiorem se in judicio contendere.

11 ¶ Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

11 Verba sunt plurima,
multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.

12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?