The Latin Vulgate VUL
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 verba Ecclesiastes filii David regis Hierusalem
1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas
2
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quod laborat sub sole
3
What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
4 generatio praeterit et generatio advenit terra vero in aeternum stat
4
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever.
5 oritur sol et occidit et ad locum suum revertitur ibique renascens
5
The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.
6 gyrat per meridiem et flectitur ad aquilonem lustrans universa circuitu pergit spiritus et in circulos suos regreditur
6
The wind blows to the south, and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
7 omnia flumina intrant mare et mare non redundat ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant
7
All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.
8 cunctae res difficiles non potest eas homo explicare sermone non saturatur oculus visu nec auris impletur auditu
8
All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 quid est quod fuit ipsum quod futurum est quid est quod factum est ipsum quod fiendum est
9
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 nihil sub sole novum nec valet quisquam dicere ecce hoc recens est iam enim praecessit in saeculis quae fuerunt ante nos
10
Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already, in the ages before us.
11 non est priorum memoria sed nec eorum quidem quae postea futura sunt erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo
11
There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to happen among those who come after.
12 ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israhel in Hierusalem
12
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 et proposui in animo meo quaerere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quae fiunt sub sole hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum ut occuparentur in ea
13
And I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with.
14 vidi quae fiunt cuncta sub sole et ecce universa vanitas et adflictio spiritus
14
I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 perversi difficile corriguntur et stultorum infinitus est numerus
15
What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 locutus sum in corde meo dicens ecce magnus effectus sum et praecessi sapientia omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Hierusalem et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter et didicit
16
I said to myself, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."
17 dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam erroresque et stultitiam et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et adflictio spiritus
17
And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio et qui addit scientiam addat et laborem
18
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.