Riches make not men happy, because many die shortly: 3. and many rich men will not use their riches. 8. Likewise study to know all secret things is vanity, not felicity.Riches make not men happie, because manie dye shortly: 3. and manie rich men wil not vse their riches. 8. Likewise studie to know al secrete thinges is vanitie, not felicitie.✦
There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and that frequens: common, prevalent, widespread, not occurring often or repeatedly with men:THere is also an other euil, which I haue sene vnder the sunne, and that frequent with men:✦Est et aliud malum quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines :
2A man to whom God hath given riches, and substantiam: goods, wealth, estate, one's living, and honour, and nothing is lacking to his soul of all things, which he desireth: neither doth God give him power to eat thereof: but a strange man shall eat it up. This is vanity and great misery.A man to whom God hath geuen riches, and substance, and honour, and nothing is lacking to his soule of al thinges, which he desireth: neither doth God geue him powre to eate therof: but a strange man shal eate it vp. This is vanitie and great miserie.✦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.
3If a man shall beget an hundred children, and shall live many years, and have many days of age, and his soul use not the goods of his substance, and he lack burial: of this man I pronounce, that the untimely abortivus: a stillborn or miscarried child is better than he.If a man shal begette an hundred children, and shal liue manie yeares, and haue manie dayes of age, and his soule vse not the goods of his substance, and he lacke burial: of this man I pronounce, that the vntimely borne is better then 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 ego pronuntio quod melior illo sit abortivus.
4For he came in vain, and passeth to darkness, and his name shall be clean forgotten.For he came in vaine, and passeth to darknes, and his name shal be cleane forgotten.✦Frustra enim venit, et pergit ad tenebras, et oblivione delebitur nomen ejus.
5He hath not seen the sun, nor known the distance of good and evil:He hath not sene the sunne, nor knowen the distance of good and euil:✦Non vidit solem, neque cognovit distantiam boni et mali.
6although he lived two thousand years, and hath not enjoyed good things: do not all things hasten to one place?although he liued two thousand yeares, and hath not enioyed good thinges: do not al thinges hasten to one place?✦Etiam si duobus millibus annis vixerit, et non fuerit perfruitus bonis, nonne ad unum locum properant omnia ?
7All the labour of man is in his mouth: but his soul shall not be filled.Al the labour of man is in his mouth: but his soule shal not be filled.Omnis labor hominis in ore ejus ; sed anima ejus non implebitur.
8What hath the wise man more than the fool? and what the poor man, but to pass thither, where life is?What hath the wiseman more then the foole? and what the poore man, but to passe thither, where life is?Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto ? et quid pauper, nisi ut pergat illuc ubi est vita ?
9Better it is to see that, which thou mayest covet, than to desire that, which thou canst not know. But this also is vanity, and presumption of spirit.Better it is to see that, which thou maist couete, then to desire that, which thou canst not know. But this also is vanitie, and presumption of spirite.✦Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias. Sed et hoc vanitas est, et præsumptio spiritus.
10He that shall be, his name is already called: and it is known, that he is a man, and cannot contend in judgement against a stronger than himself.He that shal be, his name is already called: and it is knowne, that he is a man, and can not contend in iudgement against a stronger then himself.✦Qui futurus est, jam vocatum est nomen ejus ; et scitur quod homo sit, et non possit contra fortiorem se in judicio contendere.
11There be many words, that have much vanity in disputing.There be manie wordes, that haue much vanitie in disputing.✦Verba sunt plurima, multamque in disputando habentia vanitatem.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.