1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

1 Quid necesse est homini majora se quærere,
cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita sua,
numero dierum peregrinationis suæ,
et tempore quod velut umbra præterit?
aut quis ei poterit indicare
quod post eum futurum sub sole sit?

2 Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa,
et dies mortis die nativitatis.

2 ¶ It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

3 Melius est ire ad domum luctus
quam ad domum convivii;
in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum,
et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

4 Melior est ira risu,
quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est,
et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 Melius est a sapiente corripi,
quam stultorum adulatione decipi;

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

7 quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla,
sic risus stulti.
Sed et hoc vanitas.

7 ¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

8 Calumnia conturbat sapientem,
et perdet robur cordis illius.

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9 Melior est finis orationis quam principium.
Melior est patiens arrogante.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

10 Ne sis velox ad irascendum,
quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.

10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

11 Ne dicas: Quid putas causæ est
quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt?
stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.

11 ¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

12 Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis,
et magis prodest videntibus solem.

12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

13 Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia;
hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia,
quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.

13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

14 Considera opera Dei,
quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

15 In die bona fruere bonis,
et malam diem præcave;
sicut enim hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus,
ut non inveniat homo contra eum justas querimonias.

15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

16 Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ:
justus perit in justitia sua,
et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.

16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

17 Noli esse justus multum,
neque plus sapias quam necesse est,
ne obstupescas.

17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18 Ne impie agas multum,
et noli esse stultus,
ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.

18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

19 Bonum est te sustentare justum:
sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam;
quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20 Sapientia confortavit sapientem
super decem principes civitatis;

20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

21 non est enim homo justus in terra
qui faciat bonum et non peccet.

21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

22 Sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur
ne accomodes cor tuum,
ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23 scit enim conscientia tua
quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.

23 ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 Cuncta tentavi in sapientia.
Dixi: Sapiens efficiar:
et ipsa longius recessit a me,

24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25 multo magis quam erat.
Et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?

25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

26 ¶ Lustravi universa animo meo,
ut scirem et considerarem,
et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem,
et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti,
et errorem imprudentium:

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27 et inveni amariorem morte mulierem,
quæ laqueus venatorum est,
et sagena cor ejus;
vincula sunt manus illius.
Qui placet Deo effugiet illam;
qui autem peccator est capietur ab illa.

27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

28 Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes,
unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,

28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

29 quam adhuc quærit anima mea,
et non inveni.
Virum de mille unum reperi;
mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.

29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

30 Solummodo hoc inveni,
quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum,
et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus.
Quis talis ut sapiens est?
et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?