ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣΤΗΣ - Qoelet - Ecclesiastes 2

GREEK BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Εγω ειπα εν τη καρδια μου, Ελθε τωρα, να σε δοκιμασω δι' ευφροσυνης? και εντρυφα εις αγαθα? και ιδου, και τουτο ματαιοτης.	1 I said in my heart: “I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.” And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.
2 Ειπα περι του γελωτος, Ειναι μωρια? και περι της χαρας, Τι ωφελει αυτη;	2 Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”
3 Εσκεφθην εν τη καρδια μου να ευφραινω την σαρκα μου με οινον, ενω ετι η καρδια μου ησχολειτο εις την σοφιαν? και να κρατησω την μωριαν, εωσου ιδω τι ειναι το αγαθον εις τους υιους των ανθρωπων, δια να καμνωσιν αυτο υπο τον ουρανον πασας τας ημερας της ζωης αυτων.	3 I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.
4 Εκαμον πραγματα μεγαλα εις εμαυτον? ωκοδομησα εις εμαυτον οικιας? εφυτευσα δι' εμαυτον αμπελωνας.	4 I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.
5 Εκαμον δι' εμαυτον κηπους και παραδεισους και εφυτευσα εν αυτοις δενδρα παντος καρπου.	5 I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.
6 Εκαμον δι' εμαυτον δεξαμενας υδατων, δια να ποτιζω εξ αυτων το αλσος το καταφυτον εκ δενδρων.	6 And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.
7 Απεκτησα δουλους και δουλας και ειχον δουλους οικογενεις? απεκτησα ετι αγελας και ποιμνια περισσοτερα υπερ παντας τους υπαρξαντας προ εμου εν Ιερουσαλημ.	7 I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 Συνηθροισα εις εμαυτον και αργυριον και χρυσιον και εκλεκτα κειμηλια βασιλεων και τοπων? απεκτησα εις εμαυτον αδοντας και αδουσας και τα εντρυφηματα των υιων των ανθρωπων, παν ειδος παλλακιδων.	8 I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.
9 Και εμεγαλυνθην και ηυξηνθην υπερ παντας τους υπαρξαντας προ εμου εν Ιερουσαλημ? και η σοφια μου εμενεν εν εμοι.	9 And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.
10 Και παν ο, τι εζητησαν οι οφθαλμοι μου, δεν ηρνηθην εις αυτους? δεν εμποδισα την καρδιαν μου απο πασης ευφροσυνης, διοτι η καρδια μου ευφραινετο εις παντας τους μοχθους μου? και τουτο ητο η μερις μου εκ παντος του μοχθου μου.	10 And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.
11 Και παρετηρησα εγω εν πασι τοις εργοις μου τα οποια εκαμον αι χειρες μου, και εν παντι τω μοχθω τον οποιον εμοχθησα, και ιδου, τα παντα ματαιοτης και θλιψις πνευματος, και ουδεν οφελος υπο τον ηλιον.	11 But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun.
12 Και εστραφην εγω δια να παρατηρησω την σοφιαν και την μωριαν και την αφροσυνην? διοτι τι θελει καμει ανθρωπος ελθων μετα τον βασιλεα; ο, τι εκαμον ηδη.	12 I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. “What is man,” I said, “that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?”
13 Και εγω ειδον οτι η σοφια υπερεχει της αφροσυνης, καθως το φως υπερεχει του σκοτους.	13 And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.
14 Του σοφου οι οφθαλμοι ειναι εν τη κεφαλη αυτου, ο δε αφρων περιπατει εν τω σκοτει? πλην εγω εγνωρισα ετι οτι εν συναντημα θελει συναντησει εις παντας τουτους.	14 The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.
15 Δια τουτο ειπα εγω εν τη καρδια μου, Καθως συμβαινει εις τον αφρονα, ουτω θελει συμβη και εις εμε? δια τι λοιπον εγω να γεινω σοφωτερος; οθεν εσυμπερανα παλιν εν τη καρδια μου, οτι και τουτο ειναι ματαιοτης.	15 And I said in my heart: “If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?” And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.
16 Διοτι δεν θελει μενει διαπαντος η μνημη του σοφου ουδε του αφρονος? επειδη εν ταις επερχομεναις ημεραις τα παντα θελουσι πλεον λησμονηθη. Και πως θελει αποθανει ο σοφος μετα του αφρονος;	16 For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.
17 Δια τουτο εμισησα την ζωην, διοτι μοχθηρα εφανησαν εις εμε τα εργα τα γενομενα υπο τον ηλιον? επειδη τα παντα ματαιοτης και θλιψις πνευματος.	17 And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.
18 Εμισησα ετι εγω παντα τον μοχθον μου, τον οποιον ειχον μοχθησει υπο τον ηλιον? διοτι αφινω αυτον εις τον ανθρωπον οστις θελει σταθη μετ' εμε.	18 Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me,
19 Και τις οιδεν αν θελη εισθαι σοφος η αφρων; και ομως θελει εξουσιασει επι παντος του μοχθου μου, τον οποιον εμοχθησα και εις τον οποιον εδειξα την σοφιαν μου υπο τον ηλιον? ματαιοτης και τουτο.	19 though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty?
20 Οθεν εγω στραφεις απηλπισα την καρδιαν μου περι παντος του μοχθου, τον οποιον εμοχθησα υπο τον ηλιον.	20 Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.
21 Διοτι ειναι ανθρωπος, του οποιου ο μοχθος εσταθη εν σοφια και γνωσει και εν ορθοτητι? και ομως αφινει αυτον εις αλλον δια μεριδα αυτου, οστις δεν εκοπιασεν εις αυτον? και τουτο ματαιοτης και κακον μεγα.	21 For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.
22 Διοτι τις ωφελεια εις τον ανθρωπον απο παντος του μοχθου αυτου και απο της θλιψεως της καρδιας αυτου, εις τα οποια μοχθει υπο τον ηλιον;	22 For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?
23 Επειδη πασαι αι ημεραι αυτου ειναι πονος, και οι μοχθοι αυτου λυπη? και την νυκτα ετι η καρδια αυτου δεν κοιμαται? ειναι και τουτο ματαιοτης.	23 All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness?
24 Δεν ειναι αγαθον εις τον ανθρωπον να τρωγη και να πινη και να καμνη την ψυχην αυτου να απολαμβανη καλον εκ του μοχθου αυτου; και τουτο ειδον εγω, οτι ειναι απο της χειρος του Θεου.	24 Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.
25 Διοτι τις θελει φαγει και τις θελει εντρυφησει υπερ εμε;	25 So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?
26 Επειδη ο Θεος εις τον ανθρωπον τον αρεστον ενωπιον αυτου διδει σοφιαν και γνωσιν και χαραν? εις δε τον αμαρτωλον διδει περισπασμον, εις το να προσθετη και να επισωρευη, δια να δωση αυτα εις τον αρεστον ενωπιον αυτου? και τουτο ματαιοτης και θλιψις πνευματος.	26 God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.