Liber Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes, chapter 7, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 7 Vulgate

   1 Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa, et dies mortis die nativitatis.
   2 Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii; in illa enim finis cunctorum hominum, et vivens hoc conferet in corde.
   3 Melior est tristitia risu, quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus.
   4 Cor sapientium in domo luctus, et cor stultorum in domo laetitiae.
   5 Melius est a sapiente corripi quam laetari stultorum canticis,
   6 quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti. Sed et hoc vanitas.
   7 Quia calumnia stultum facit sapientem, et munus cor insanire facit.
   8 "Melior est finis negotii quam principium, melior est patiens arrogante".
   9 Ne sis velox in animo ad irascendum, quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.
   10 Ne dicas: "Quid, putas, causae est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt?". Non enim ex sapientia interrogas de hoc.
   11 Bona est sapientia cum divitiis et prodest videntibus solem.
   12 Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia; hoc autem plus habet eruditio, quod sapientia vitam tribuit possessori suo.
   13 Considera opera Dei: quod nemo possit corrigere, quod ille curvum fecerit.
   14 In die bona fruere bonis et in die mala considera: sicut hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ita ut non inveniat homo quidquam de futuro.
   15 Cuncta vidi in diebus vanitatis meae: est iustus, qui perit in iustitia sua, et impius, qui multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.
   16 Noli esse nimis iustus neque sapiens supra modum! Cur te perdere vis?
   17 Ne agas nimis impie et noli esse stultus! Cur mori debeas in tempore non tuo?
   18 Bonum est ut, quod habes, teneas, sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam, quia qui timet Deum, utrumque devitat.
   19 Sapientia confortabit sapientem super decem principes civitatis.
   20 Nullus enim homo iustus in terra, qui faciat bonum et non peccet.
   21 Sed et cunctis sermonibus, qui dicuntur, ne accommodes cor tuum, ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;
   22 scit enim conscientia tua, quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.
   23 Cuncta tentavi in sapientia, dixi: "Sapiens efficiar".
   24 Et ipsa longius recessit a me. Longe est, quod fuit; et alta est profunditas. Quis inveniet eam?
   25 Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem et considerarem et quaererem sapientiam et rationem et ut cognoscerem impietatem esse stultitiam et errorem imprudentiam.
   26 Et invenio amariorem morte mulierem, quae laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor eius, vincula sunt manus illius. Qui placet Deo, effugiet eam; qui autem peccator est, capietur ab illa.
   27 Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum, ut invenirem rationem,
   28 quam adhuc quaerit anima mea, et non inveni: Hominem de mille unum repperi, mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.
   29 Ecce solummodo hoc inveni: Quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipsi quaesierint infinitas quaestiones.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
   2 ¶ It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
   3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
   4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
   5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
   6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
   7 ¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
   8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
   9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
   10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
   11 ¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
   12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
   13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
   14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
   15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
   16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
   17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
   18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
   19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
   20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
   21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
   22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
   23 ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
   24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
   25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
   26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
   27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
   28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
   29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.