Ecclesiastes

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men.

1 ἔστιν πονηρία, ἣν εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ πολλή ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον·	1 ἔστι πονηρία, ἣν εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ πολλή ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνθρωπον·
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man.	1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man.

2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God doesn’t give him power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

2 ἀνήρ, ᾧ δώσει αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς πλοῦτον καὶ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δόξαν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὑστερῶν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πάντων, ὧν ἐπιθυμήσει, καὶ οὐκ ἐξουσιάσει αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ φαγεῖν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ξένος φάγεται αὐτόν· τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ ἀρρωστία πονηρά ἐστιν.	2 ἀνήρ, ᾧ δώσει αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς πλοῦτον καὶ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δόξαν, καὶ οὐκ ἐστιν ὑστερῶν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πάντων, ὧν ἐπιθυμήσει, καὶ οὐκ ἐξουσιάσει αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ φαγεῖν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ξένος φάγεται αὐτόν· τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ ἀρρωστία πονηρά ἔστι.
2 a man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honour, and he wants nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity.	2 a man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honour, and he wants nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity.

3 If a man fathered 100 children, and lived many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul isn’t filled with good, and also that he has no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

3 ἐὰν γεννήσῃ ἀνὴρ ἑκατὸν καὶ ἔτη πολλὰ ζήσεται, καὶ πλῆθος ὅ τι ἔσονται ἡμέραι ἐτῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐμπλησθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης, καὶ γε ταφὴ οὐκ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ, εἶπα ἀγαθὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν τὸ ἔκτρωμα,	3 ἐὰν γεννήσῃ ἀνὴρ ἑκατὸν καὶ ἔτη πολλὰ ζήσεται, καὶ πλῆθος ὅτι ἔσονται αἱ ἡμέραι ἐτῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ οὐ πλησθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης, καί γε ταφὴ οὐκ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ, εἶπα· ἀγαθὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν τὸ ἔκτρωμα,
3 If a man fathers 100 children, and lives many years, yes, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet if his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he has no burial; I said, An untimely birth is better than he.	3 If a man fathers 100 children, and lives many years, yes, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet if his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he has no burial; I said, An untimely birth is better than he.

4 For he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

4 ὅτι ἐν ματαιότητι ἦλθεν καὶ ἐν σκότει πορεύεται, καὶ ἐν σκότει ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καλυφθήσεται,	4 ὅτι ἐν ματαιότητι ἦλθε καὶ ἐν σκότει πορεύεται, καὶ ἐν σκότει ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καλυφθήσεται.
4 For he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness.	4 For he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness.

5 Moreover he hasn’t seen the sun, nor known anything: this has more rest than the other.

5 καὶ γε ἥλιον οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω, ἀνάπαυσις τούτῳ ὑπὲρ τοῦτον.	5 καί γε ἥλιον οὐκ εἶδε καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω, ἀνάπαυσις τούτῳ ὑπὲρ τοῦτον.
5 Moreover he hasn’t seen the sun, nor known rest: there is no more rest to this one than another.	5 Moreover he hasn’t seen the sun, nor known rest: there is no more rest to this one than another.

6 Yes, though he live 1000 years twice told, yet has he seen no good: don’t all go to one place?

6 καὶ εἰ ἔζησεν χιλίων ἐτῶν καθόδους καὶ ἀγαθωσύνην οὐκ εἶδεν, μὴ οὐκ εἰς τόπον ἕνα τὰ πάντα πορεύεται;	6 καὶ εἰ ἔζησε χιλίων ἐτῶν καθόδους καὶ ἀγαθωσύνην οὐκ εἶδε, μὴ οὐκ εἰς τόπον ἕνα πορεύεται τὰ πάντας;
6 Though he has lived to the return of 1000 years, yet he has seen no good: don’t all go to one place?	6 Though he has lived to the return of 1000 years, yet he has seen no good: don’t all go to one place?

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

7 πᾶς μόχθος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ γε ἡ ψυχὴ οὐ πληρωθήσεται.	7 Πᾶς μόχθος ἀνθρώπου εἰς στόμα αὐτοῦ, καί γε ἡ ψυχὴ οὐ πληρωθήσεται.
7 All the labour of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied.	7 All the labour of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied.

8 For what has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor, who knows to walk before the living?

8 ὅτι τίς περισσεία τῷ σοφῷ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἄφρονα; διότι ὁ πένης οἶδεν πορευθῆναι κατέναντι τῆς ζωῆς.	8 ὅτι τίς περισσεία τῷ σοφῷ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἄφρονα; διότι ὁ πένης οἶδε πορευθῆναι κατέναντι τῆς ζωῆς.
8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool, since even the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life?	8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool, since even the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life?

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

9 ἀγαθὸν ὅραμα ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπὲρ πορευόμενον ψυχῇ. καὶ γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.	9 ἀγαθὸν ὅραμα ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπὲρ πορευόμενον ψυχῇ· καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.
9 The sight of the eyes is better than what wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit.	9 The sight of the eyes is better than what wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit.

10 What has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him who is mightier than he.

10 εἴ τι ἐγένετο, ἤδη κέκληται ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγνώσθη ὅ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ οὐ δυνήσεται τοῦ κριθῆναι μετὰ τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ ὑπὲρ αὐτόν·	10 Εἴ τι ἐγένετο, ἤδη κέκληται ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγνώσθη ὅ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ οὐ δυνήσεται κριθῆναι μετὰ τοῦ ἰσχυροτέρου ὑπὲρ αὐτόν·
10 If anything has been, its name has already been called; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he.	10 If anything has been, its name has already been called; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he.

11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

11 ὅτι εἰσὶν λόγοι πολλοὶ πληθύνοντες ματαιότητα.	11 ὅτι εἰσὶ λόγοι πολλοὶ πληθύνοντες ματαιότητα. τί περισσὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ;
11 For there are many things which increase vanity.	11 For there are many things which increase vanity.

12 [LXX 7:1] For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

12 [LXX 7:1] τί περισσὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ; ὅτι τίς οἶδεν τί ἀγαθὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν ζωῆς ματαιότητος αὐτοῦ; καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὰς ἐν σκιᾷ· ὅτι τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τί ἔσται ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον;	12 [LXX 7:1] ὅτι τίς οἶδεν ἀγαθὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ἀριθμὸν ζωῆς ἡμερῶν ματαιότητος αὐτοῦ; καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ ἐν σκιᾷ· ὅτι τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, τί ἔσται ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον;
12 [LXX 7:1] What advantage has a man? For who knows what is good for a man in his life, during the number of the life of the days of his vanity? And he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?	12 [LXX 7:1] What advantage has a man? For who knows what is good for a man in his life, during the number of the life of the days of his vanity? And he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?