New Century Version NCV
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 I said to myself, "I will try having fun. I will enjoy myself." But I found that this is also useless.
1
dixi ego in corde meo vadam et affluam deliciis et fruar bonis et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas
2 It is foolish to laugh all the time, and having fun doesn't accomplish anything.
2
risum reputavi errorem et gaudio dixi quid frustra deciperis
3 I decided to cheer myself up with wine while my mind was still thinking wisely. I wanted to find a way to enjoy myself and see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.
3
cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam ut animum meum transferrem ad sapientiam devitaremque stultitiam donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum quod facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vitae suae
4 Then I did great things: I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
4
magnificavi opera mea aedificavi mihi domos plantavi vineas
5 I made gardens and parks, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
5
feci hortos et pomeria et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus
6 I made pools of water for myself and used them to water my growing trees.
6
extruxi mihi piscinas aquarum ut inrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium
7 I bought male and female slaves, and slaves were also born in my house. I had large herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem had ever had before.
7
possedi servos et ancillas multamque familiam habui armenta quoque et magnos ovium greges ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Hierusalem
8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, treasures from kings and other areas. I had male and female singers and all the women a man could ever want.
8
coacervavi mihi argentum et aurum et substantias regum ac provinciarum feci mihi cantores et cantrices et delicias filiorum hominum scyphos et urceos in ministerio ad vina fundenda
9 I became very famous, even greater than anyone who had lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom helped me in all this.
9
et supergressus sum opibus omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Hierusalem sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum
10 Anything I saw and wanted, I got for myself; I did not miss any pleasure I desired. I was pleased with everything I did, and this pleasure was the reward for all my hard work.
10
et omnia quae desideraverunt oculi mei non negavi eis nec prohibui cor quin omni voluptate frueretur et oblectaret se in his quae paraveram et hanc ratus sum partem meam si uterer labore meo
11 But then I looked at what I had done, and I thought about all the hard work. Suddenly I realized it was useless, like chasing the wind. There is nothing to gain from anything we do here on earth.
11
cumque me convertissem ad universa opera quae fecerant manus meae et ad labores in quibus frustra sudaveram vidi in omnibus vanitatem et adflictionem animi et nihil permanere sub sole
12 Then I began to think again about being wise, and also about being foolish and doing crazy things. But after all, what more can anyone do? He can't do more than what the other king has already done.
12
transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam erroresque et stultitiam quid est inquam homo ut sequi possit regem factorem suum
13 I saw that being wise is certainly better than being foolish, just as light is better than darkness.
13
et vidi quia tantum praecederet sapientia stultitiam quantum differt lux tenebris
14 Wise people see where they are going, but fools walk around in the dark. Yet I saw that both wise and foolish people end the same way.
14
sapientis oculi in capite eius stultus in tenebris ambulat et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus
15 I thought to myself, "What happens to a fool will happen to me, too, so what is the reward for being wise?" I said to myself, "Being wise is also useless."
15
et dixi in corde meo si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit quid mihi prodest quod maiorem sapientiae dedi operam locutusque cum mente mea animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas
16 The wise person and the fool will both die, and no one will remember either one for long. In the future, both will be forgotten.
16
non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter obruent moritur doctus similiter et indoctus
17 So I hated life. It made me sad to think that everything here on earth is useless, like chasing the wind.
17
et idcirco taeduit me vitae meae videntem mala esse universa sub sole et cuncta vanitatem atque adflictionem spiritus
18 I hated all the things I had worked for here on earth, because I must leave them to someone who will live after me.
18
rursum detestatus sum omnem industriam meam quae sub sole studiosissime laboravi habiturus heredem post me
19 Someone else will control everything for which I worked so hard here on earth, and I don't know if he will be wise or foolish. This is also useless.
19
quem ignoro utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit et dominabitur in laboribus meis quibus desudavi et sollicitus fui et est quicquam tam vanum
20 So I became sad about all the hard work I had done here on earth.
20
unde cessavi renuntiavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole
21 People can work hard using all their wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but they will die, and other people will get the things for which they worked. They did not do the work, but they will get everything. This is also unfair and useless.
21
nam cum alius laboret in sapientia et doctrina et sollicitudine homini otioso quaesita dimittit et hoc ergo vanitas et magnum malum
22 What do people get for all their work and struggling here on earth?
22
quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo et adflictione spiritus qua sub sole cruciatus est
23 All of their lives their work is full of pain and sorrow, and even at night their minds don't rest. This is also useless.
23
cuncti dies eius doloribus et aerumnis pleni sunt nec per noctem mente requiescit et haec non vanitas est
24 The best that people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I saw that even this comes from God,
24
nonne melius est comedere et bibere et ostendere animae suae bona de laboribus suis et hoc de manu Dei est
25 because no one can eat or enjoy life without him.
25
quis ita vorabit et deliciis affluet ut ego
26 If people please God, God will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But sinners will get only the work of gathering and storing wealth that they will have to give to the ones who please God. So all their work is useless, like chasing the wind.
26
homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam et scientiam et laetitiam peccatori autem dedit adflictionem et curam superfluam ut addat et congreget et tradat ei qui placuit Deo sed et hoc vanitas et cassa sollicitudo mentis
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.