Revised Standard Version RSV
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate man does not know. Everything before them is vanity,
1
omnia haec tractavi in corde meo ut curiose intellegerem sunt iusti atque sapientes et opera eorum in manu Dei et tamen nescit homo utrum amore an odio dignus sit
2 since one fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good man, so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.
2
sed omnia in futuro servantur incerta eo quod universa aeque eveniant iusto et impio bono et malo mundo et inmundo immolanti victimas et sacrificia contemnenti sicut bonus sic et peccator ut periurus ita et ille qui verum deierat
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all; also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
3
hoc est pessimum inter omnia quae sub sole fiunt quia eadem cunctis eveniunt unde et corda filiorum hominum implentur malitia et contemptu in vita sua et post haec ad inferos deducentur
4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
4
nemo est qui semper vivat et qui huius rei habeat fiduciam melior est canis vivens leone mortuo
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them is lost.
5
viventes enim sciunt se esse morituros mortui vero nihil noverunt amplius nec habent ultra mercedem quia oblivioni tradita est memoria eorum
6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and they have no more for ever any share in all that is done under the sun.
6
amor quoque et odium et invidia simul perierunt nec habent partem in hoc saeculo et in opere quod sub sole geritur
7 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already approved what you do.
7
vade ergo et comede in laetitia panem tuum et bibe cum gaudio vinum tuum quia Deo placent opera tua
8 Let your garments be always white; let not oil be lacking on your head.
8
omni tempore sint vestimenta tua candida et oleum de capite tuo non deficiat
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life which he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.
9
perfruere vita cum uxore quam diligis cunctis diebus vitae instabilitatis tuae qui dati sunt tibi sub sole omni tempore vanitatis tuae haec est enim pars in vita et in labore tuo quod laboras sub sole
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
10
quodcumque potest manus tua facere instanter operare quia nec opus nec ratio nec scientia nec sapientia erunt apud inferos quo tu properas
11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.
11
verti me alio vidique sub sole nec velocium esse cursum nec fortium bellum nec sapientium panem nec doctorum divitias nec artificum gratiam sed tempus casumque in omnibus
12 For man does not know his time. Like fish which are taken in an evil net, and like birds which are caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
12
nescit homo finem suum sed sicut pisces capiuntur hamo et sicut aves conprehenduntur laqueo sic capiuntur homines tempore malo cum eis extemplo supervenerit
13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
13
hanc quoque vidi sub sole sapientiam et probavi maximam
14 There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it.
14
civitas parva et pauci in ea viri venit contra eam rex magnus et vallavit eam extruxitque munitiones per gyrum et perfecta est obsidio
15 But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
15
inventusque in ea vir pauper et sapiens liberavit urbem per sapientiam suam et nullus deinceps recordatus est hominis illius pauperis
16 But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.
16
et dicebam ego meliorem esse sapientiam fortitudine quomodo ergo sapientia pauperis contempta est et verba eius non sunt audita
17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
17
verba sapientium audiuntur in silentio plus quam clamor principis inter stultos
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
18
melior est sapientia quam arma bellica et qui in uno peccaverit multa bona perdet
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.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.