KJV ¹ A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

VULC 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 ?

KJV 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.

VULC ² Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa,
et dies mortis die nativitatis.

KJV ³ Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

VULC ³ Melius est ire ad domum luctus
quam ad domum convivii ;
in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum,
et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.

KJV ⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

VULC ⁴ Melior est ira risu,
quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.

KJV ⁵ It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

VULC ⁵ Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est,
et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.

KJV ⁶ For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

VULC ⁶ Melius est a sapiente corripi,
quam stultorum adulatione decipi ;

KJV ⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

VULC ⁷ quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla,
sic risus stulti.
Sed et hoc vanitas.

KJV ⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

VULC ⁸ Calumnia conturbat sapientem,
et perdet robur cordis illius.

KJV ⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

VULC ⁹ Melior est finis orationis quam principium.
Melior est patiens arrogante.

KJV ¹⁰ Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

VULC ¹⁰ Ne sis velox ad irascendum,
quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.

KJV ¹¹ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

VULC ¹¹ Ne dicas : Quid putas causæ est
quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt ?
stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.

KJV 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.

VULC ¹² Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis,
et magis prodest videntibus solem.

KJV ¹³ Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

VULC ¹³ Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia ;
hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia,
quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.

KJV 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.

VULC ¹⁴ Considera opera Dei,
quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.

KJV 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.

VULC 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.

KJV ¹⁶ Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?

VULC ¹⁶ Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ :
justus perit in justitia sua,
et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.

KJV ¹⁷ Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

VULC ¹⁷ Noli esse justus multum,
neque plus sapias quam necesse est,
ne obstupescas.

KJV 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.

VULC ¹⁸ Ne impie agas multum,
et noli esse stultus,
ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.

KJV ¹⁹ Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

VULC ¹⁹ Bonum est te sustentare justum :
sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam ;
quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.

KJV ²⁰ For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

VULC ²⁰ Sapientia confortavit sapientem
super decem principes civitatis ;

KJV ²¹ Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

VULC ²¹ non est enim homo justus in terra
qui faciat bonum et non peccet.

KJV ²² For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

VULC ²² Sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur
ne accomodes cor tuum,
ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi ;

KJV ²³ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

VULC ²³ scit enim conscientia tua
quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.

KJV ²⁴ That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

VULC ²⁴ Cuncta tentavi in sapientia.
Dixi : Sapiens efficiar :
et ipsa longius recessit a me,

KJV 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:

VULC ²⁵ multo magis quam erat.
Et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam ?]

KJV 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.

VULC ²⁶ [Lustravi universa animo meo,
ut scirem et considerarem,
et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem,
et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti,
et errorem imprudentium :

KJV ²⁷ Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

VULC 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.

KJV 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.

VULC ²⁸ Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes,
unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,

KJV ²⁹ Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

VULC ²⁹ quam adhuc quærit anima mea,
et non inveni.
Virum de mille unum reperi ;
mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.

VULC 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 ?]