Liber Ecclesiastes, 7

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

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

2. Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii; in illa enim finis cunctorum hominum, et vivens hoc conferet in corde.

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

3. Melior est tristitia risu, quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus.

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

4. Cor sapientium in domo luctus, et cor stultorum in domo laetitiae.

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

5. Melius est a sapiente corripi quam laetari stultorum canticis,

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

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

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

7. Quia calumnia stultum facit sapientem, et munus cor insanire facit.

7. Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the mind.

8. “Melior est finis negotii quam principium, melior est patiens arrogante”.

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

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

9. Be not quick to anger, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

10. Ne dicas: “Quid, putas, causae est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt?”. Non enim ex sapientia interrogas de hoc.

10. Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

11. Bona est sapientia cum divitiis et prodest videntibus solem.

11. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun.

12. Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia; hoc autem plus habet eruditio, quod sapientia vitam tribuit possessori suo.

12. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money; and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

13. Considera opera Dei: quod nemo possit corrigere, quod ille curvum fecerit.

13. Consider the work of God; who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14. In die bona fruere bonis et in die mala considera: sicut hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ita ut non inveniat homo quidquam de futuro.

14. In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

15. Cuncta vidi in diebus vanitatis meae: est iustus, qui perit in iustitia sua, et impius, qui multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.

15. In my vain life I have seen everything; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.

16. Noli esse nimis iustus neque sapiens supra modum! Cur te perdere vis?

16. Be not righteous overmuch, and do not make yourself overwise; why should you destroy yourself?

17. Ne agas nimis impie et noli esse stultus! Cur mori debeas in tempore non tuo?

17. Be not wicked overmuch, neither be a fool; why should you die before your time?

18. Bonum est ut, quod habes, teneas, sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam, quia qui timet Deum, utrumque devitat.

18. It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand; for he who fears God shall come forth from them all.

19. Sapientia confortabit sapientem super decem principes civitatis.

19. Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

20. Nullus enim homo iustus in terra, qui faciat bonum et non peccet.

20. Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

21. Sed et cunctis sermonibus, qui dicuntur, ne accommodes cor tuum, ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;

21. Do not give heed to all the things that men say, lest you hear your servant cursing you;

22. scit enim conscientia tua, quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.

22. your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.

23. Cuncta tentavi in sapientia, dixi: “Sapiens efficiar”.

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

24. Et ipsa longius recessit a me. Longe est, quod fuit; et alta est profunditas. Quis inveniet eam?

24. That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

25. Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem et considerarem et quaererem sapientiam et rationem et ut cognoscerem impietatem esse stultitiam et errorem imprudentiam.

25. I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness which is madness.

26. Et invenio amariorem morte mulierem, quae laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor eius, vincula sunt manus illius. Qui placet Deo, effugiet eam; qui autem peccator est, capietur ab illa.

26. And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters; he who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

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

27. Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum,

28. quam adhuc quaerit anima mea, et non inveni: Hominem de mille unum repperi, mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.

28. which my mind has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.

29. Ecce solummodo hoc inveni: Quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipsi quaesierint infinitas quaestiones.

29. Behold, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.