ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣΤΗΣ - Qoelet - Ecclesiastes 9

GREEK BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Διοτι απαν τουτο εσκεφθην εν τη καρδια μου, δια να εξιχνιασω απαν τουτο, οτι οι δικαιοι και οι σοφοι, και τα εργα αυτων, ειναι εν χειρι Θεου? δεν υπαρχει ανθρωπος γνωριζων, ειτε αγαπη θελει εισθαι ειτε μισος? τα παντα ειναι εμπροσθεν αυτων.	1 I have drawn all these things through my heart, so that I might carefully understand. There are just men as well as wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. And yet a man does not know so much as whether he is worthy of love or of hatred.
2 Παντα συμβαινουσιν επισης εις παντας? εν συναντημα ειναι εις τον δικαιον και εις τον ασεβη, εις τον αγαθον και εις τον καθαρον και εις τον ακαθαρτον, και εις τον θυσιαζοντα και εις τον μη θυσιαζοντα? ως ο αγαθος, ουτω και ο αμαρτωλος? ο ομνυων ως ο φοβουμενος τον ορκον.	2 But all things in the future remain uncertain, because all things happen equally to the just and to the impious, to the good and to the bad, to the pure and to the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and to those who despise sacrifices. As the good are, so also are sinners. As those who commit perjury are, so also are those who swear to the truth.
3 Τουτο ειναι το κακον μεταξυ παντων των γινομενων υπο τον ηλιον, οτι εν συναντημα ειναι εις παντας? και μαλιστα η καρδια των υιων των ανθρωπων ειναι πληρης κακιας, και αφροσυνη ειναι εν τη καρδια αυτων ενοσω ζωσι, και μετα ταυτα υπαγουσι προς τους νεκρους.	3 This is a very great burden among all things that are done under the sun: that the same things happen to everyone. And when the hearts of the sons of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lives, afterwards they shall be dragged down to hell.
4 Διοτι εις τον εχοντα κοινωνιαν μεταξυ παντων των ζωντων ειναι ελπις? επειδη κυων ζων ειναι καλητερος παρα λεοντα νεκρον.	4 There is no one who lives forever, or who even has confidence in this regard. A living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 Διοτι οι ζωντες γνωριζουσιν οτι θελουσιν αποθανει? αλλ' οι νεκροι δεν γνωριζουσιν ουδεν ουδε εχουσι πλεον απολαυσιν? επειδη το μνημοσυνον αυτων ελησμονηθη.	5 For the living know that they themselves will die, yet truly the dead know nothing anymore, nor do they have any recompense. For the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Ετι και η αγαπη αυτων και το μισος αυτων και ο φθονος αυτων ηδη εχαθη? και δεν θελουσιν εχει πλεον εις τον αιωνα μεριδα εις παντα οσα γινονται υπο τον ηλιον.	6 Likewise, love and hatred and envy have all perished together, nor have they any place in this age and in the work which is done under the sun.
7 Υπαγε, φαγε τον αρτον σου εν ευφροσυνη και πιε τον οινον σου εν ευθυμω καρδια? διοτι ηδη ο Θεος ευαρεστειται εις τα εργα σου.	7 So then, go and eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with gladness. For your works are pleasing to God.
8 Εν παντι καιρω ας ηναι λευκα τα ιματια σου? και ελαιον ας μη εκλειψη απο της κεφαλης σου.	8 Let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be absent from your head.
9 Χαιρου ζωην μετα της γυναικος, την οποιαν ηγαπησας, πασας τας ημερας της ζωης της ματαιοτητος σου, αιτινες σοι εδοθησαν υπο τον ηλιον, πασας τας ημερας της ματαιοτητος σου? διοτι τουτο ειναι η μερις σου εν τη ζωη και εν τω μοχθω σου, τον οποιον μοχθεις υπο τον ηλιον.	9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your uncertain life which have been given to you under the sun, during all the time of your vanity. For this is your portion in life and in your labor, with which you labor under the sun.
10 Παντα οσα ευρη η χειρ σου να καμη, καμε κατα την δυναμιν σου? διοτι δεν ειναι πραξις ουτε λογισμος ουτε γνωσις ουτε σοφια εν τω αδη οπου υπαγεις.	10 Whatever your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying.
11 Επεστρεψα και ειδον υπο τον ηλιον, οτι ο δρομος δεν ειναι εις τους ταχυποδας, ουδε ο πολεμος εις τους δυνατους, αλλ' ουδε ο αρτος εις τους σοφους, αλλ' ουδε τα πλουτη εις τους νοημονας, αλλ' ουδε η χαρις εις τους αξιους? διοτι καιρος και περιστασις συναντα εις παντας αυτους.	11 I turned myself toward another thing, and 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 wealth to the learned, nor grace to the skilful: but there is a time and an end for all these things.
12 Διοτι ουδε ο ανθρωπος γνωριζει τον καιρον αυτου? καθως οι ιχθυες οιτινες πιανονται εν κακω δικτυω, και καθως τα πτηνα, τα οποια πιανονται εν παγιδι, ουτω παγιδευονται οι υιοι των ανθρωπων εν καιρω κακω οταν εξαιφνης επελθη επ' αυτους.	12 Man does not know his own end. But, just as fish are caught with a hook, and birds are captured with a snare, so are men seized in the evil time, when it will suddenly overwhelm them.
13 Και ταυτην την σοφιαν ειδον υπο τον ηλιον, και εφανη εις εμε μεγαλη?	13 This wisdom, likewise, I have seen under the sun, and I have examined it intensely.
14 Ητο μικρα πολις και ανδρες εν αυτη ολιγοι? και ηλθε κατ' αυτης βασιλευς μεγας και επολιορκησεν αυτην και ωκοδομησεν εναντιον αυτης προχωματα μεγαλα?	14 There was a small city, with a few men in it. There came against it a great king, who surrounded it, and built fortifications all around it, and the blockade was completed.
15 αλλ' ευρεθη εν αυτη ανθρωπος πτωχος και σοφος, και αυτος δια της σοφιας αυτου ηλευθερωσε την πολιν? πλην ουδεις ενεθυμηθη τον πτωχον εκεινον ανθρωπον.	15 And there was found within it, a poor and wise man, and he freed the city through his wisdom, and nothing was recorded afterward of that poor man.
16 Τοτε εγω ειπα, Η σοφια ειναι καλητερα παρα την δυναμιν, αν και η σοφια του πτωχου καταφρονηται και οι λογοι αυτου δεν εισακουωνται.	16 And so, I declared that wisdom is better than strength. But how is it, then, that the wisdom of the poor man is treated with contempt, and his words are not heeded?
17 Οι λογοι των σοφων εν ησυχια ακουονται μαλλον παρα την κραυγην του εξουσιαζοντος μετα αφρονων.	17 The words of the wise are heard in silence, more so than the outcry of a prince among the foolish.
18 Η σοφια ειναι καλητερα παρα τα οπλα του πολεμου? εις δε αμαρτωλος αφανιζει μεγαλα καλα.	18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war. And whoever offends in one thing, shall lose many good things.