Human delights are all vain: 4. as gorgeous buildings, fruitful vineyards, plenty of fish, cattle, servants, silver, gold, music: 11. not satisfying man's desire. 18. Neither can any man know, how his heir will behave himself.Humane delightes are al vaine: 4. as gorgious buildinges, fruitful vinyards, plentie of fish, cattle, seruantes, siluer, gold, musike: 11. not satisfying mans desire. 18. Neither can anie man know, how his heyre wil behaue himself.✦
I said therefore in my heart: I will go, and flow in delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanitas: emptiness, futility: not conceit or self-regard.I Sayde therfore in my hart: I wil goe, & flow in delightes, and enioy good thinges. And I saw that this also was vanitie.✦Dixi ego in corde meo : Vadam, et affluam deliciis, et fruar bonis ; et vidi quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
2Laughter I have reputavi: accounted, reckoned error: and to joy I have said: Why art thou deceived in vain?Laughter I haue reputed errour: and to ioy I haue saide: Why art thou deceiued in vaine?✦Risum reputavi errorem, et gaudio dixi : Quid frustra deciperis ?
3I have thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might transfer my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what should be profitable for the children of men: what is needful to be done under the sun, in the number of the days of their life.I haue thought in my hart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might transferre my minde to wisdom, and might auoid follie, til I might see what should be profitable for the children of men: what is nedeful to be done vnder the sunne, in the number of the dayes of their life.✦Cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam, ut animam meam transferrem ad sapientiam, devitaremque stultitiam, donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum, quo facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vitæ suæ.
4I have magnified my works, I have built me houses, and planted vineyards,I haue magnified my workes, I haue built me houses, & planted vineyards,✦Magnificavi opera mea, ædificavi mihi domos, et plantavi vineas ;
5I have made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,I haue made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of al kindes,✦feci hortos et pomaria, et consevi ea cuncti generis arboribus ;
6and I have made me ponds of waters, to water the silvam: forest, woodland of springing trees,and I haue made me ponds of waters, to watter the wood of springing trees,✦et exstruxi mihi piscinas aquarum, ut irrigarem silvam lignorum germinantium.
7I have possessed menservants and womenservants, and have had a great familiam: household, retinue: not kin only, herds also, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:I haue possessed menseruants and wemenseruants, and haue had a great familie: heardes also, and great flockes of shepe, aboue al that were before me in Ierusalem:✦Possedi servos et ancillas, multamque familiam habui : armenta quoque, et magnos ovium greges, ultra omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem ;
8I have heaped together to myself silver, and gold, and the substantias: wealth, goods of kings, and provinces: I made me singingmen, and singingwomen, and the delights of the children of men: cups, and goblets to serve to pour out wines:I haue heaped together to myself siluer, and gold, and the substance of kinges, and prouinces: I made me singingmen, & singingwemen, and the delightes of the children of men: cuppes, and goblets to serue to powre out wines:✦coacervavi mihi argentum et aurum, et substantias regum ac provinciarum ; feci mihi cantores et cantatrices, et delicias filiorum hominum, scyphos, et urceos in ministerio ad vina fundenda ;
9and I surpassed in riches all, that were before me in Jerusalem: wisdom also hath persevered with me.and I surpassed in riches al, that were before me in Ierusalem: wisdom also hath perseuered with me.✦et supergressus sum opibus omnes qui ante me fuerunt in Jerusalem : sapientia quoque perseveravit mecum.
10And all things, that mine eyes desired, I have not denied to them: neither have I stayed my heart, but that it enjoyed all pleasure, and delighted itself in these things, which I had prepared: and this I esteemed my portion, if I did use my labour.And al thinges, that myne eies desired, I haue not denied to them: neither haue I stayed my hart, but that it enioyed al pleasure, & delighted itself in these thinges, which I had prepared: and this I esteemed my portion, if I did vse my labour.✦Et omnia quæ desideraverunt oculi mei non negavi eis, nec prohibui cor meum quin omni voluptate frueretur, et oblectaret se in his quæ præparaveram ; et hanc ratus sum partem meam si uterer labore meo.
11And when I had turned myself to all the works, which my hands had done, and to the labours, wherein I had sweat in vain, I saw in all things vanity; and affliction of mind, and nothing to be permanent under the sun.And when I had turned myself to al the workes, which my handes had done, & to the laboures, wherin I had swette in vaine, I saw in al thinges vanitie; and affliction of minde, & nothing to be permanent vnder the sunne.✦Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera quæ fecerant manus meæ, et ad labores in quibus frustra sudaveram, vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem animi, et nihil permanere sub sole.
12I passed further to contemplate wisdom, and errors, and folly (what is man, quoth I, that he can follow the king his Maker?)I passed further to contemplate wisdom, and errors, and follie (what is man, quoth I, that he can folow the king his Maker?)✦Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam, erroresque, et stultitiam. (Quid est, inquam, homo, ut sequi possit regem, factorem suum ?)
13and I saw that wisdom so much excelled folly, as light differeth from darkness.and I saw that wisdom so much excelled follie, as light differeth from darknes.✦Et vidi quod tantum præcederet sapientia stultitiam, quantum differt lux a tenebris.
14The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I have learned that there was one death of both.The eyes of a wiseman are in his head: the foole walketh in darknes: and I haue lerned that there was one death of both.✦Sapientis oculi in capite ejus ; stultus in tenebris ambulat : et didici quod unus utriusque esset interitus.
15And I said in my heart: If the fall of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it profit me, that I have bestowed greater labour for wisdom? And speaking with my mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.And I sayd in my hart: If the fal of the foole & myne shal be one, what doth it profite me, that I haue bestowed greater labour for wisdom? And speaking with my minde, I perceiued that this also was vanitie.✦Et dixi in corde meo : Si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit, quid mihi prodest quod majorem sapientiæ dedi operam ? Locutusque cum mente mea, animadverti quod hoc quoque esset vanitas.
16For there shall be no memory of the wise in like manner as of the fool for ever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.For there shal be no memorie of the wise in like maner as of the foole for euer, and the times to come shal couer al thinges together with obliuion: the lerned dieth in like maner as the vnlerned.Non enim erit memoria sapientis similiter ut stulti in perpetuum, et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient : moritur doctus similiter ut indoctus.
17And therefore I have been weary of my life, seeing all things under the sun to be evil, and all things vanity and affliction of spirit.And therfore I haue bene wearie of my life, seing al thinges vnder the sunne to be euil, and al thinges vanitie and affliction of spirite.Et idcirco tæduit me vitæ meæ, videntem mala universa esse sub sole, et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus.
18Again I detested all mine industriam: diligent toil, laborious endeavour, wherewith I have laboured under the sun most studiously, being like to have an heir after me:Againe I detested al myne industrie, wherwith I haue laboured vnder the sunne most studiously, being like to haue an heyre after me:Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam, qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi, habiturus hæredem post me,
19whom I know not, whether he will be a wise man or a fool, and he shall rule in my labours, wherewith I have sweat and have been sollicitus: anxious, full of care: not cautious: and is there any thing so vain?whom I know not, whether he wil be a wiseman or a foole, and he shal rule in my labours, wherewith I haue swette and haue bene careful: and is there anie thing so vaine?quem ignoro utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit, et dominabitur in laboribus meis, quibus desudavi et sollicitus fui : et est quidquam tam vanum ?
20Wherefore I ceased, and my heart hath renounced to labour any more under the sun.Wherfore I ceased, and my hart hath renounced to labour anie more vnder the sunne.Unde cessavi, renuntiavitque cor meum ultra laborare sub sole.
21For whereas one laboureth in wisdom, and doctrine, and sollicitudine: anxiety, worldly care: not caution, he leaveth the things gotten to an idle man: and this therefore is vanity, and great evil.For whereas one laboreth in wisdom, and doctrine, and carefulnes, he leaueth the thinges gotten to an idleman: and this therfore is vanitie, and great euil.Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia, et doctrina, et sollicitudine, homini otioso quæsita dimittit ; et hoc ergo vanitas et magnum malum.
22For what profit shall be to a man of all his labour, and affliction of spirit, wherewith he is vexed under the sun?For what profite shal be to a man of al his labour, and affliction of spirite, wherwith he is vexed vnder the sunne?Quid enim proderit homini de universo labore suo, et afflictione spiritus, qua sub sole cruciatus est ?
23All his days are full of sorrows and miseries, neither by night doth he rest in mind, and is not this vanity?Al his daies are ful of sorowes and miseries, neither by night doth he rest in minde, and is not this vanitie?Cuncti dies ejus doloribus et ærumnis pleni sunt, nec per noctem mente requiescit. Et hoc nonne vanitas est ?
24Is it not better to eat and drink, and show unto his soul good things of his labours? and this is of the hand of God.Is it not better to eate and drinke, and shew vnto his soule good thinges of his laboures? & this is of the hand of God.✦Nonne melius est comedere et bibere, et ostendere animæ suæ bona de laboribus suis ? et hoc de manu Dei est.
25Who shall so devour, and flow with delights as I?Who shal so deuour, and flow with delightes as I?✦Quis ita devorabit et deliciis affluet ut ego ?
26To a man good in his sight, God hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given affliction, and superfluous care, to add, and to gather together, and deliver it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and vain carefulness of the mind.To a man good in his sight, God hath geuen wisdom, and knowlege, and ioy: but to the sinner he hath geuen affliction, and superfluous care, to adde, and to gather together, and deliuer it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanitie, & vaine carefulnes of the minde.✦Homini bono in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam, et scientiam, et lætitiam ; peccatori autem dedit afflictionem et curam superfluam, ut addat, et congreget, et tradat ei qui placuit Deo ; sed et hoc vanitas est, et cassa sollicitudo mentis.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.