Ecclesiastes Chapter 7

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 What needeth a man to seek things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life, in all the days of his pilgrimage, and the time that passeth like a shadow? Or who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun?
2 A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
3 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
4 Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected. Anger... That is, correction, or just wrath and zeal against evil.
5 The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
6 It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
7 For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
8 Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
9 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
10 Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
11 Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
12 Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
13 For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
14 Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
15 In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
16 These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
17 Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid. Over just... Viz., By an excessive rigour in censuring the ways of God in bearing with the wicked.
18 Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time. Be not overmuch wicked... That is, lest by the greatness of your sin you leave no room for mercy.
19 It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
20 Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
21 For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
22 But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
23 For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
24 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
25 Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?

26 I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
27 And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter's snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
28 Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
29 Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
30 Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word? Of the word... That is, of this obscure and difficult matter.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

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?
2 Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa,
et dies mortis die nativitatis.
3 Melius est ire ad domum luctus
quam ad domum convivii;
in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum,
et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.
4 Melior est ira risu,
quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.
5 Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est,
et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.
6 Melius est a sapiente corripi,
quam stultorum adulatione decipi;
7 quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla,
sic risus stulti.
Sed et hoc vanitas.
8 Calumnia conturbat sapientem,
et perdet robur cordis illius.
9 Melior est finis orationis quam principium.
Melior est patiens arrogante.
10 Ne sis velox ad irascendum,
quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.
11 Ne dicas: Quid putas causæ est
quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt?
stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.
12 Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis,
et magis prodest videntibus solem.
13 Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia;
hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia,
quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.
14 Considera opera Dei,
quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.
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.
16 Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ:
justus perit in justitia sua,
et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.
17 Noli esse justus multum,
neque plus sapias quam necesse est,
ne obstupescas.
18 Ne impie agas multum,
et noli esse stultus,
ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.
19 Bonum est te sustentare justum:
sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam;
quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.
20 Sapientia confortavit sapientem
super decem principes civitatis;
21 non est enim homo justus in terra
qui faciat bonum et non peccet.
22 Sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur
ne accomodes cor tuum,
ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;
23 scit enim conscientia tua
quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.
24 Cuncta tentavi in sapientia.
Dixi: Sapiens efficiar:
et ipsa longius recessit a me,
25 multo magis quam erat.
Et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?

26 Lustravi universa animo meo,
ut scirem et considerarem,
et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem,
et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti,
et errorem imprudentium:
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.
28 Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes,
unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,
29 quam adhuc quærit anima mea,
et non inveni.
Virum de mille unum reperi;
mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.
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?

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition

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