1[] Διοτι απαν τουτο εσκεφθην εν τη καρδια μου, δια να εξιχνιασω απαν τουτο, οτι οι δικαιοι και οι σοφοι, και τα εργα αυτων, ειναι εν χειρι Θεου· δεν υπαρχει ανθρωπος γνωριζων, ειτε αγαπη θελει εισθαι ειτε μισος· τα παντα ειναι εμπροσθεν αυτων.
1For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.
2Παντα συμβαινουσιν επισης εις παντας· εν συναντημα ειναι εις τον δικαιον και εις τον ασεβη, εις τον αγαθον και εις τον καθαρον και εις τον ακαθαρτον, και εις τον θυσιαζοντα και εις τον μη θυσιαζοντα· ως ο αγαθος, ουτω και ο αμαρτωλος· ο ομνυων ως ο φοβουμενος τον ορκον.
2All things [come] alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
3Τουτο ειναι το κακον μεταξυ παντων των γινομενων υπο τον ηλιον, οτι εν συναντημα ειναι εις παντας· και μαλιστα η καρδια των υιων των ανθρωπων ειναι πληρης κακιας, και αφροσυνη ειναι εν τη καρδια αυτων ενοσω ζωσι, και μετα ταυτα υπαγουσι προς τους νεκρους.
3This is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.
4[] Διοτι εις τον εχοντα κοινωνιαν μεταξυ παντων των ζωντων ειναι ελπις· επειδη κυων ζων ειναι καλητερος παρα λεοντα νεκρον.
4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5Διοτι οι ζωντες γνωριζουσιν οτι θελουσιν αποθανει· αλλ' οι νεκροι δεν γνωριζουσιν ουδεν ουδε εχουσι πλεον απολαυσιν· επειδη το μνημοσυνον αυτων ελησμονηθη.
5For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
6Ετι και η αγαπη αυτων και το μισος αυτων και ο φθονος αυτων ηδη εχαθη· και δεν θελουσιν εχει πλεον εις τον αιωνα μεριδα εις παντα οσα γινονται υπο τον ηλιον.
6Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun.
7Υπαγε, φαγε τον αρτον σου εν ευφροσυνη και πιε τον οινον σου εν ευθυμω καρδια· διοτι ηδη ο Θεος ευαρεστειται εις τα εργα σου.
7Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
8Εν παντι καιρω ας ηναι λευκα τα ιματια σου· και ελαιον ας μη εκλειψη απο της κεφαλης σου.
8Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
9Χαιρου ζωην μετα της γυναικος, την οποιαν ηγαπησας, πασας τας ημερας της ζωης της ματαιοτητος σου, αιτινες σοι εδοθησαν υπο τον ηλιον, πασας τας ημερας της ματαιοτητος σου· διοτι τουτο ειναι η μερις σου εν τη ζωη και εν τω μοχθω σου, τον οποιον μοχθεις υπο τον ηλιον.
9Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.
10Παντα οσα ευρη η χειρ σου να καμη, καμε κατα την δυναμιν σου· διοτι δεν ειναι πραξις ουτε λογισμος ουτε γνωσις ουτε σοφια εν τω αδη οπου υπαγεις.
10Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.
11[] Επεστρεψα και ειδον υπο τον ηλιον, οτι ο δρομος δεν ειναι εις τους ταχυποδας, ουδε ο πολεμος εις τους δυνατους, αλλ' ουδε ο αρτος εις τους σοφους, αλλ' ουδε τα πλουτη εις τους νοημονας, αλλ' ουδε η χαρις εις τους αξιους· διοτι καιρος και περιστασις συναντα εις παντας αυτους.
11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
12Διοτι ουδε ο ανθρωπος γνωριζει τον καιρον αυτου· καθως οι ιχθυες οιτινες πιανονται εν κακω δικτυω, και καθως τα πτηνα, τα οποια πιανονται εν παγιδι, ουτω παγιδευονται οι υιοι των ανθρωπων εν καιρω κακω οταν εξαιφνης επελθη επ' αυτους.
12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13[] Και ταυτην την σοφιαν ειδον υπο τον ηλιον, και εφανη εις εμε μεγαλη·
13This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
14Ητο μικρα πολις και ανδρες εν αυτη ολιγοι· και ηλθε κατ' αυτης βασιλευς μεγας και επολιορκησεν αυτην και ωκοδομησεν εναντιον αυτης προχωματα μεγαλα·
14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15αλλ' ευρεθη εν αυτη ανθρωπος πτωχος και σοφος, και αυτος δια της σοφιας αυτου ηλευθερωσε την πολιν· πλην ουδεις ενεθυμηθη τον πτωχον εκεινον ανθρωπον.
15and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.
16Τοτε εγω ειπα, Η σοφια ειναι καλητερα παρα την δυναμιν, αν και η σοφια του πτωχου καταφρονηται και οι λογοι αυτου δεν εισακουωνται.
16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17Οι λογοι των σοφων εν ησυχια ακουονται μαλλον παρα την κραυγην του εξουσιαζοντος μετα αφρονων.
17The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18Η σοφια ειναι καλητερα παρα τα οπλα του πολεμου· εις δε αμαρτωλος αφανιζει μεγαλα καλα.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.