Ecclesiastes 6, Catholic Public Domain Version
There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.
Est et aliud malum quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines:
- 2
It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.
vir cui dedit Deus divitias, et substantiam, et honorem, et nihil deest animæ suæ ex omnibus quæ desiderat; nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo, sed homo extraneus vorabit illud: hoc vanitas et miseria magna est.
- 3
If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.
Si genuerit quispiam centum liberos, et vixerit multos annos, et plures dies ætatis habuerit, et anima illius non utatur bonis substantiæ suæ, sepulturaque careat: de hoc ergo pronuntio quod melior illo sit abortivus.
- 4
For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.
Frustra enim venit, et pergit ad tenebras, et oblivione delebitur nomen ejus.
- 5
He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.
Non vidit solem, neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali.
- 6
Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?
Etiam si duobus millibus annis vixerit, et non fuerit perfruitus bonis, nonne ad unum locum properant omnia?
- 7
Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.
Omnis labor hominis in ore ejus; sed anima ejus non implebitur.
- 8
What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?
Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto? et quid pauper, nisi ut pergat illuc ubi est vita?
- 9
It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.
Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias. Sed et hoc vanitas est, et præsumptio spiritus.
- 10
Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.
Qui futurus est, jam vocatum est nomen ejus; et scitur quod homo sit, et non possit contra fortiorem se in judicio contendere.
- 11
There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.
Verba sunt plurima, multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.
Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain · Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592)