by Septuagint
[19] Ἡ σοφία βοηθήσει τῷ σοφῷ ὑπὲρ δέκα ἐξουσιάζοντας τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τῇ πόλει·
[19] Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
[20] ὅτι ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος ἐν τῇ γῇ, ὃς ποιήσει ἀγαθὸν καὶ οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεται.
[20] For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
[21] καί γε εἰς πάντας τοὺς λόγους, οὓς λαλήσουσιν, μὴ θῇς καρδίαν σου, ὅπως μὴ ἀκούσῃς τοῦ δούλου σου καταρωμένου σε,
[21] Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
[22] ὅτι πλειστάκις πονηρεύσεταί σε καὶ καθόδους πολλὰς κακώσει καρδίαν σου, ὅπως καί γε σὺ κατηράσω ἑτέρους.
[22] For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
[23] Πάντα ταῦτα ἐπείρασα ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ· εἶπα Σοφισθήσομαι,
[23] All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
[24] καὶ αὐτὴ ἐμακρύνθη ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ μακρὰν ὑπὲρ ὃ ἦν, καὶ βαθὺ βάθος, τίς εὑρήσει αὐτό;
[24] That which is far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
[25] ἐκύκλωσα ἐγώ, καὶ ἡ καρδία μου τοῦ γνῶναι καὶ τοῦ κατασκέψασθαι καὶ ζητῆσαι σοφίαν καὶ ψῆφον καὶ τοῦ γνῶναι ἀσεβοῦς ἀφροσύνην καὶ σκληρίαν καὶ περιφοράν.
[25] I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account of things, and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
[26] καὶ εὑρίσκω ἐγὼ πικρότερον ὑπὲρ θάνατον, σὺν τὴν γυναῖκα, ἥτις ἐστὶν θηρεύματα καὶ σαγῆναι καρδία αὐτῆς, δεσμοὶ χεῖρες αὐτῆς· ἀγαθὸς πρὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξαιρεθήσεται ἀπ’ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἁμαρτάνων συλλημφθήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ.
[26] And I find her to be, and I will pronounce to be more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, who has a band in her hands: he that is good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
[27] ἰδὲ τοῦτο εὗρον, εἶπεν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής, μία τῇ μιᾷ τοῦ εὑρεῖν λογισμόν,
[27] Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, seeking by one at a time to find out the account,
[28] ὃν ἔτι ἐζήτησεν ἡ ψυχή μου καὶ οὐχ εὗρον· ἄνθρωπον ἕνα ἀπὸ χιλίων εὗρον καὶ γυναῖκα ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις οὐχ εὗρον.
[28] which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
[29] πλὴν ἰδὲ τοῦτο εὗρον, ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς σὺν τὸν ἄνθρωπον εὐθῆ, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐζήτησαν λογισμοὺς πολλούς.
[29] But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
CHAPTER 8
[1] Τίς οἶδεν σοφούς; καὶ τίς οἶδεν λύσιν ῥήματος; σοφία ἀνθρώπου φωτιεῖ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναιδὴς προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ μισηθήσεται.
[1] Who knows the wise? and who knows the interpretation of a saying?
A man’s wisdom will lighten his countenance; but a man of shameless countenance will be hated.
[2] στόμα βασιλέως φύλαξον καὶ περὶ λόγου ὅρκου θεοῦ μὴ σπουδάσῃς·
[2] Observe the commandment of the king, and that because of the word of the oath of God.
[3] ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ πορεύσῃ, μὴ στῇς ἐν λόγῳ πονηρῷ· ὅτι πᾶν, ὃ ἐὰν θελήσῃ, ποιήσει,
[3] Be not hasty; thou shalt go forth out of his presence: stand not in an evil matter; for he will do whatsoever he shall please,
[4] καθὼς λαλεῖ βασιλεὺς ἐξουσιάζων, καὶ τίς ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ Τί ποιήσεις;
[4] even as a king having power: and who will say to him, What doest thou?
[5] ὁ φυλάσσων ἐντολὴν οὐ γνώσεται ῥῆμα πονηρόν, καὶ καιρὸν κρίσεως γινώσκει καρδία σοφοῦ·
[5] He that keeps the commandment shall not know an evil thing: and the heart of the wise knows the time of judgement.
[6] ὅτι παντὶ πράγματι ἔστιν καιρὸς καὶ κρίσις, ὅτι γνῶσις τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλὴ ἐπ’ αὐτόν·
[6] For to every thing there is time and judgement; for the knowledge of a man is great to him.
[7] ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν γινώσκων τί τὸ ἐσόμενον, ὅτι καθὼς ἔσται τίς ἀναγγελεῖ αὐτῷ;
[7] For there is no one that knows what is going to be: for who shall tell him how it shall be?
[8] οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος ἐξουσιάζων ἐν πνεύματι τοῦ κωλῦσαι σὺν τὸ πνεῦμα· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξουσία ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀποστολὴ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ, καὶ οὐ διασώσει ἀσέβεια τὸν παρ’ αὐτῆς.
[8] There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; and there is no power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in the day of the battle; neither shall ungodliness save her votary.
[9] καὶ σὺν πᾶν τοῦτο εἶδον καὶ ἔδωκα τὴν καρδίαν μου εἰς πᾶν ποίημα, ὃ πεποίηται ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, τὰ ὅσα ἐξουσιάσατο ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ κακῶσαι αὐτόν·
[9] So I saw all this, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun; all the things wherein man has power over man to afflict him.
[10] καὶ τότε εἶδον ἀσεβεῖς εἰς τάφους εἰσαχθέντας, καὶ ἐκ τόπου ἁγίου ἐπορεύθησαν καὶ ἐπῃνέθησαν ἐν τῇ πόλει, ὅτι οὕτως ἐποίησαν. καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης.
[10] And then I saw the ungodly carried into the tombs, and that out of the holy place: and they departed, and were praised in the city, because they had done thus: this also is vanity.
[11] ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν γινομένη ἀντίρρησις ἀπὸ τῶν ποιούντων τὸ πονηρὸν ταχύ· διὰ τοῦτο ἐπληροφορήθη καρδία υἱῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρόν.
[11] Because there is no contradiction made on the part of those who do evil quickly, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully determined in them to do evil.
[12] ὃς ἥμαρτεν, ἐποίησεν τὸ πονηρὸν ἀπὸ τότε καὶ ἀπὸ μακρότητος αὐτῷ· ὅτι καί γε γινώσκω ἐγὼ ὅτι ἔσται ἀγαθὸν τοῖς φοβουμένοις τὸν θεόν, ὅπως φοβῶνται ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ·
[12] He that has sinned has done evil from that time, and long from beforehand: nevertheless I know, that it is well with them that
fear God, that they may fear before him:
[13] καὶ ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἔσται τῷ ἀσεβεῖ, καὶ οὐ μακρυνεῖ ἡμέρας ἐν σκιᾷ ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν φοβούμενος ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ.
[13] but it shall not be well with the ungodly, and he shall not prolong his days, which are as a shadow; forasmuch as he fears not before God.
[14] ἔστιν ματαιότης, ἣ πεποίηται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι εἰσὶ δίκαιοι ὅτι φθάνει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὡς ποίημα τῶν ἀσεβῶν, καὶ εἰσὶν ἀσεβεῖς ὅτι φθάνει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὡς ποίημα τῶν δικαίων· εἶπα ὅτι καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης.
[14] There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous persons to whom it happens according to the doing of the ungodly; and there are ungodly men, to whom it happens according to the doing of the just: I said, This is also vanity.
[15] καὶ ἐπῄνεσα ἐγὼ σὺν τὴν εὐφροσύνην, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαθὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὅτι εἰ μὴ τοῦ φαγεῖν καὶ τοῦ πιεῖν καὶ τοῦ εὐφρανθῆναι, καὶ αὐτὸ συμπροσέσται αὐτῷ ἐν μόχθῳ αὐτοῦ ἡμέρας ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
[15] Then I praised mirth, because there is no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry: and this shall attend him in his labour all the days of his life, which God has given him under the sun.
[16] Ἐν οἷς ἔδωκα τὴν καρδίαν μου τοῦ γνῶναι σοφίαν καὶ τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὸν περισπασμὸν τὸν πεποιημένον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι καί γε ἐν ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ ὕπνον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν βλέπων,
[16] Whereupon I set my heart to know wisdom, and to perceive the trouble that was wrought upon the earth: for there is that neither by day nor night sees sleep with his eyes.
[17] καὶ εἶδον σὺν πάντα τὰ ποιήματα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅτι οὐ δυνήσεται ἄνθρωπος τοῦ εὑρεῖν σὺν τὸ ποίημα τὸ πεποιημένον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον· ὅσα ἂν μοχθήσῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ ζητῆσαι, καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσει· καί γε ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃ ὁ σοφὸς τοῦ γνῶναι, οὐ δυνήσεται τοῦ εὑρεῖν.
[17] And I beheld all the works of God, that a man shall not be able to discover the work which is wrought under the sun; whatsoever things a man shall endeavour to seek, however a man may labour to seek it, yet he shall not find it; yea, how much soever a wise man may speak of knowing it, he shall not be able to find it: for I applied all this to my heart, and my heart has seen all this.
CHAPTER 9
[1] Ὅτι σὺν πᾶν τοῦτο ἔδωκα εἰς καρδίαν μου, καὶ καρδία μου σὺν πᾶν εἶδεν τοῦτο, ὡς οἱ δίκαιοι καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ καὶ ἐργασίαι αὐτῶν ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, καί γε ἀγάπην καί γε μῖσος οὐκ ἔστιν εἰδὼς ὁ ἄνθρωπος· τὰ πάντα πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν,
[1] I saw that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: yea, there is no man that knows either love or hatred, though all are before their face.
[2] ματαιότης ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν. συνάντημα ἓν τῷ δικαίῳ καὶ τῷ ἀσεβεῖ, τῷ ἀγαθῷ καὶ τῷ κακῷ καὶ τῷ καθαρῷ καὶ τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ καὶ τῷ θυσιάζοντι καὶ τῷ μὴ θυσιάζοντι· ὡς ὁ ἀγαθός, ὧς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων· ὧς ὁ ὀμνύων, καθὼς ὁ τὸν ὅρκον φοβούμενος.
[2] Vanity is in all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good, and to the bad; both to the pure, and to the impure; both to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifice not: as is the good, so is the sinner: as is the swearer, even so is he that fears an oath.
[3] τοῦτο πονηρὸν ἐν παντὶ πεποιημένῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, ὅτι συνάντημα ἓν τοῖς πᾶσιν· καί γε καρδία υἱῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπληρώθη πονηροῦ, καὶ περιφέρεια ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν ἐν ζωῇ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὀπίσω αὐτῶν πρὸς τοὺς νεκρούς.
[3] There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yea, the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after that they go to the dead.
[4] ὅτι τίς ὃς κοινωνεῖ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς ζῶντας; ἔστιν ἐλπίς, ὅτι ὁ κύων ὁ ζῶν, αὐτὸς ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ τὸν λέοντα τὸν νεκρόν.
[4] for who is he that has fellowship with all the living? there is hope of him: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
[5] ὅτι οἱ ζῶντες γνώσονται ὅτι ἀποθανοῦνται, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ οὔκ εἰσιν γινώσκοντες οὐδέν· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἔτι μισθός, ὅτι ἐπελήσθη ἡ μνήμη αὐτῶν·
[5] For the living will know that they shall die: but the dead know nothing, and there is no longer any reward to them; for their memory is lost.
[6] καί γε ἀγάπη αὐτῶν καί γε μῖσος αὐτῶν καί γε ζῆλος αὐτῶν ἤδη ἀπώλετο, καὶ μερὶς οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἔτι εἰς αἰῶνα ἐν παντὶ τῷ πεποιημένῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
[6] also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; yea, there is no portion for them any more for ever in all that is done under the sun.
[7] Δεῦρο φάγε ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ ἄρτον σου καὶ πίε ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀγαθῇ οἶνόν σου, ὅτι ἤδη εὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ ποιήματά σου.
[7] Go, eat thy bread with mirth, and drink thy wine with a joyful heart; for now God has favourably accepted thy works.
[8] ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἔστωσαν ἱμάτιά σου λευκά, καὶ ἔλαιον ἐπὶ κεφαλήν σου μὴ ὑστερησάτω.
[8] Let thy garments be always white; and let not oil be wanting on thine head.
[9] ἰδὲ ζωὴν μετὰ γυναικός, ἧς ἠγάπησας, πάσας ἡμέρας ζωῆς ματαιότητός σου τὰς δοθείσας σοι ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, πάσας ἡμέρας ματαιότητός σου, ὅτι αὐτὸ μερίς σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου καὶ ἐν τῷ μόχθῳ σου, ᾧ σὺ μοχθεῖς ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
[9] And see life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which are given thee under the sun: for that is thy portion in thy life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun.
[10] πάντα, ὅσα ἂν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου τοῦ ποιῆσαι, ὡς ἡ δύναμίς σου ποίησον, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ποίημα καὶ λογισμὸς καὶ γνῶσις καὶ σοφία ἐν ᾅδῃ, ὅπου σὺ πορεύῃ ἐκεῖ.
[10] Whatsoever thine hand shall find to do, do with all thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Hades wither thou goest.
[11] Ἐπέστρεψα καὶ εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὅτι οὐ τοῖς κούφοις ὁ δρόμος καὶ οὐ τοῖς δυνατοῖς ὁ πόλεμος καί γε οὐ τοῖς σοφοῖς ἄρτος καί γ�
� οὐ τοῖς συνετοῖς πλοῦτος καί γε οὐ τοῖς γινώσκουσιν χάρις, ὅτι καιρὸς καὶ ἀπάντημα συναντήσεται τοῖς πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς.
[11] I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor yet wealth to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; for time and chance will happen to them all.
[12] ὅτι καί γε οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὸν καιρὸν αὐτοῦ· ὡς οἱ ἰχθύες οἱ θηρευόμενοι ἐν ἀμφιβλήστρῳ κακῷ καὶ ὡς ὄρνεα τὰ θηρευόμενα ἐν παγίδι, ὡς αὐτὰ παγιδεύονται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς καιρὸν πονηρόν, ὅταν ἐπιπέσῃ ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἄφνω.
[12] For surely man also knows not his time: as fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as birds that are caught in a snare; even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.
[13] Καί γε τοῦτο εἶδον σοφίαν ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ μεγάλη ἐστὶν πρός με·
[13] This I also saw to be wisdom under the sun, and it is great before me:
[14] πόλις μικρὰ καὶ ἄνδρες ἐν αὐτῇ ὀλίγοι, καὶ ἔλθῃ ἐπ’ αὐτὴν βασιλεὺς μέγας καὶ κυκλώσῃ αὐτὴν καὶ οἰκοδομήσῃ ἐπ’ αὐτὴν χάρακας μεγάλους·
[14] suppose there were a little city, and few men in it; and there should come against it a great king, and surround it, and build great mounds against it;
[15] καὶ εὕρῃ ἐν αὐτῇ ἄνδρα πένητα σοφόν, καὶ διασώσει αὐτὸς τὴν πόλιν ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἐμνήσθη σὺν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τοῦ πένητος ἐκείνου.
[15] and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom: yet no man would remember that poor man.