Ecclesiastes 7

VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Quid necesse est homini majora se quærere, cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita sua, numero dierum peregrinationis suæ, et tempore quod velut umbra præterit ? aut quis ei poterit indicare quod post eum futurum sub sole sit ?	1 Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?
2 Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa, et dies mortis die nativitatis.	2 A good name is better than precious ointments, and a day of death is better than a day of birth.
3 Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii ; in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum, et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.	3 It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting. For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things, so that the living consider what may be in the future.
4 Melior est ira risu, quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.	4 Anger is better than laughter. For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.
5 Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est, et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.	5 The heart of the wise is a place of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.
6 Melius est a sapiente corripi, quam stultorum adulatione decipi ;	6 It is better to be corrected by a wise man, than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.
7 quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti. Sed et hoc vanitas.	7 For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness.
8 Calumnia conturbat sapientem, et perdet robur cordis illius.	8 A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart.
9 Melior est finis orationis quam principium. Melior est patiens arrogante.	9 The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.
10 Ne sis velox ad irascendum, quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.	10 Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.
11 Ne dicas : Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt ? stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.	11 You should not say: “What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?” For this type of question is foolish.
12 Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis, et magis prodest videntibus solem.	12 Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous, for those who see the sun.
13 Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia ; hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia, quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.	13 For as wisdom protects, so also does money protect. But learning and wisdom have this much more: that they grant life to one who possesses them.
14 Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.	14 Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.
15 In die bona fruere bonis, et malam diem præcave ; sicut enim hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ut non inveniat homo contra eum justas querimonias.	15 In good times, enjoy good things, but beware of an evil time. For just as God has establish the one, so also the other, in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.
16 Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ : justus perit in justitia sua, et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.	16 I also saw this, in the days of my vanity: a just man perishing in his justice, and an impious man living a long time in his malice.
17 Noli esse justus multum, neque plus sapias quam necesse est, ne obstupescas.	17 Do not try to be overly just, and do not try to be more wise than is necessary, lest you become stupid.
18 Ne impie agas multum, et noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.	18 Do not act with great impiety, and do not choose to be foolish, lest you die before your time.
19 Bonum est te sustentare justum : sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam ; quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.	19 It is good for you to support a just man. Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him, for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.
20 Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis ;	20 Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.
21 non est enim homo justus in terra qui faciat bonum et non peccet.	21 But there is no just man on earth, who does good and does not sin.
22 Sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur ne accomodes cor tuum, ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi ;	22 So then, do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken, lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.
23 scit enim conscientia tua quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.	23 For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.
24 Cuncta tentavi in sapientia. Dixi : Sapiens efficiar : et ipsa longius recessit a me,	24 I have tested everything in wisdom. I have said: “I will be wise.” And wisdom withdrew farther from me,
25 multo magis quam erat. Et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam ?	25 so much more than it was before. Wisdom is very profound, so who shall reveal her?
26 Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem et considerarem, et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem, et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti, et errorem imprudentium :	26 I have examined all things in my soul, so that I may know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason, and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish, and the error of the imprudent.
27 et inveni amariorem morte mulierem, quæ laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor ejus ; vincula sunt manus illius. Qui placet Deo effugiet illam ; qui autem peccator est capietur ab illa.	27 And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death: she who is like the snare of a hunter, and whose heart is like a net, and whose hands are like chains. Whoever pleases God shall flee from her. But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.
28 Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,	28 Behold, Ecclesiastes said, I have discovered these things, one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation
29 quam adhuc quærit anima mea, et non inveni. Virum de mille unum reperi ; mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.	29 which my soul still seeks and has not found. One man among a thousand, I have found; a woman among them all, I have not found.
30 Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus. Quis talis ut sapiens est ? et quis cognovit solutionem verbi ?	30 This alone have I discovered: that God made man righteous, and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions. Who is so great as the wise? And who has understood the meaning of the word?