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LXX Ecclesiastes

Septuagint

Septuagint · 1st Century B.C.E.

The Septuagint translations of Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs are so literal in their translation style that, like Ruth, they have been associated with the Hebraizing "kaige" group of the first century BCE/CE. Any stylistic or contextual differences, if they exist, are so subtle as to be so far unnoticed.

1The words of the Preacher, son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem. 2 “Futility of futilities,” said the ecclesiast, “Futility of futilities. Everything is futile.” 3 What gain is there for a person in all his hardship that he toils under the sun? 4 A generation goes and a generation comes, and the earth stands into eternity.a 5 And the sun rises and the sun withdraws and draws to its place. Rising there, 6 it goes to the south and circles round to the north. It circles around and around, the wind goes, and the wind returns to its circuits. 7 All torrents go to the sea, and the sea will not be filled; to the place the torrents go, there they return to go again. 8 All words are weary. A man shall be unable to speak, and an eye shall not be filled to see, and an ear shall not be filled from hearing. 9 What is it that has happened? The same as what will happen. And what has been done? The same as what will be done. And there is nothing novel under the sun. 10 Who shall speak and say, “Look! This is new!”? It has already happened in the eternities that came before us. 11 There is no memory of the earlier ones and also of the last ones happening. There will be no memory of them among those who will happen at the end. The Pursuit of Wisdom 12 I, Ecclesiast, became king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my heart to seek out and to survey with wisdom concerning all things that happen under heaven, because an evil distraction God gave to the sons of humans: to be troubled within himself. 14 I saw the actions all together that are done under the sun, and look, they are all futility and the preference of the wind.a 15 What is distorted cannot be decorated, and what is deficient cannot be numbered. 16 I spoke in my heart to say, “Look, I have increased and added wisdom over all those who existed before me in Jerusalem.” 17 And my heart saw many things, wisdom and knowledge, and I set my heart to know wisdom and knowledge; I knew parables and understanding. For even this too is the preference of the wind,

2for in an abundance of wisdom there is an abundance of knowledge; and the one who increases knowledge will increase pain. The Pursuit of Work 2 I said in my heart, “Come now, I shall test you with merriment and look into what is good.” And look, even this too is futility. 2 To laughter I said, “Madness!” And to merriment, “Why do you do this?” 3 And I surveyed whether my heart would draw my flesh as wine; and my heart guided me in wisdom and to seize upon merriment, until I should see what the good thing does for the sons of humans that they would do under the sun in the number of their days of life. 4 I increased my work; I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted every fruit tree in them. 6 I made myself cisterns of waters to water a budding forest with them; 7 I acquired slaves and servant girls, and homebred slaves became mine. And even a great holding of herd and flock became mine, more than those who came before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver—and gold, too, and the abundance of kings and of territories. I made for myself male and female singers, the delights of the sons of humans, male and female cupbearers. 9 And I became great and increased more than all those who came before me in Jerusalem. And even my wisdom was confirmed for me. 10 And everything that my eyes demanded they did not remove from them. I did not hinder my heart from any of my merriment, for my heart made merry in all my labor. And this became my portion from all my labor. 11 And I looked over all my works that my hands had done, and over the labor that I labored to do; and look, all of it was futility and the preference of the wind, and there was no gain under the sun. The Fate of One’s Work 12 And I looked to see wisdom and frenzy and folly; for who is the person who will follow after counsel as many things as did it? 13 And I saw that there is a surplus to wisdom over folly, like a surplus of light over darkness. 14 The eyes of the wise person are in his head, and the fool proceeds in darkness. And also I even perceived that one thing shall befall all of them. 15 And I said in my heart, “As is the fate of the fool, also even for me, it shall befall me. And why have I gained wisdom?” Moreover, I spoke in my heart that even this too was futility, because the fool speaks from abundance. 16 For there is no memory of the wise among the foolish for eternity, as already the days are coming, everything is forgotten. And how shall the wise die among the fools? 17 And I hated, together, life, because wicked to me was the work done under the sun, for everything was futility and the preference of the wind. 18 And I hated my whole labor that I toiled at under the sun, for I must leave it to the person who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? And whether he will have authority over all my labor that I labored and I gained wisdom under the sun? And this too was futility. 20 And I turned to set my heart in all my labor at which I labored under the sun; 21 for there is a person that his labor is in wisdom and in knowledge and in virtue. And the person, to one who has not labored at it, will give his portion to him. And this too is futility and great wickedness. 22 For it happens in the person in all his labor and in the preference of his heart with which he labors under the sun. 23 For all his days are of suffering, and his distraction is wrath, and at night too his heart does not sleep. And this too is futility. Eating and Drinking 24 There is no good thing for a person that he shall eat and that he shall drink and that he shall show his soul good in his labor. And this too I saw, that it was from God’s hand. 25 For who shall eat and who shall drink without him? 26 For to the good person he gave wisdom before his face and knowledge and merriment. And to the sinner he gave distraction, to increase and to gather, to give the good before God’s face. For even this too is futility and the preference of the wind. Times and Seasons

3For all things there is a time, and there is a season for all activities under heaven. 2 A time to bring forth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what has been planted; 3 a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to pull down and a time to build; 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; 5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to be removed from embracing; 6 a time to seek and a time to destroy; a time to guard and a time to throw out; 7 a time to rip and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; 8 a time to be affectionate and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace. 9 What surplus is there for the doer, in the things at which he labors? 10 I saw the whole distraction that God gave the sons of humans to be distracted by it. 11 All things which he made were beautiful in his season. And he gave the whole eternity in their heart so that a person might not find the deed that God did from the beginning and to the end. 12 I knew that there is no good thing in them except to make merry and do what is good in his life. 13 And also every person who shall eat and drink and see what is good in all of his labor is God’s gift. 14 I perceived everything God did, they will be for eternity. Nothing will be added to him, and nothing shall be taken away from him, and God did them so that they would fear his face. 15 What happened already is, and what is to become has already happened, and God seeks out the thing that is pursued. The Fate of Humans 16 And still I saw the place of judgment under the sun, there was the wicked, and the place of righteousness, there was the pious. 17 And I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked together, for there is a season for every activity and for every deed.” 18 And I said in my heart concerning the speech of the sons of humanity, that God will judge them, also to show that they are livestock. 19 And also for them is there not the fate of the sons of humanity and the fate of the livestock? It is one fate for them. As is the death of this one, so is the death of that one, and there is one spirit for all. And what makes a man more superior than livestock? Nothing, for it is all futility. 20 All to one place; all came from the dust, and all will return to the dust. 21 And who knows the spirit of the sons of humanity, if it goes up into what is above? And the spirit of an animal, if it goes down into the earth? 22 And I saw that there was nothing good, except what a person enjoys in his activities, because it is his portion. For who shall lead him to see what might happen after him? Better Dead

4And I turned and saw all the oppressions that happen under the sun; look, the tear of the oppressed! And there is no one to console them, and with the hand of their oppressors there is power, and there is no one to console them. 2 And I praised all those who were dead, who had already died, more than those who were alive, who are living until now. 3 And better than these two is the one who does not yet exist, who has not seen all the wicked activity that has been done under the sun. Better Rest 4 And I saw all the labor and all the virtue of work, that it was the jealousy toward a man from his comrade; and this too was futility and the preference of the wind. 5 The fool has folded his hands and eaten his muscles. 6 Better a handful of rest than two handfuls of labor and the preference of the wind. Companionship 7 And I turned and saw a futility under the sun. 8 There is one person and not a second, and there is not even a son or even a brother for him, and there is no end to all his labor, and even his eye is not satisfied with wealth. “And for whom am I laboring and depriving my soul of goodness?” And this too is futility and a wicked distraction. 9 Two are better than one, for whom there is a good reward in their labor. 10 For if they should fall, the one shall raise up his companion. And woe to him, to the one when he falls and there is no second person to raise him up. 11 And also, if two people sleep, they are also warm. And how can the one be warmed? 12 And if the one is strengthened, two shall stand against him; and the threefold cord shall not be broken quickly. Incompetent Kings 13 Better a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king who does not know how to pay attention any longer. 14 For from prisona he will come out to rule, since also even during his reignb he became needy. 15 I saw all those living walking under the sun after the second young man, who shall stand in his place. 16 There is no end to the whole people, to all who were before them. And even the last people will not make merry over him. For even this too is futility and the preference of the wind. Fulfilling Vows 17 Guard your foot in the time that you walk into the house of God, and you are near to hear. Your sacrifice is more than the gift of the foolish, for they do not perceive that they are doing evil.

5Do not be hasty with your mouth, and do not let your heart be quick to bring forth a word before the face of God; for God is in heaven above, and you are on the earth. Because of this let your words be few. 2 For a dream comes in the abundance of trial, and the voice of a fool in the abundance of words. 3 Just as you make a vow to God, do not delay to repay it; there is no will in fools. You, therefore, repay whatever you vow. 4 It is better for you not to vow than for you to vow and not repay. 5 Do not set your mouth to make your flesh sin, and do not say before God’s face, “It is ignorance,” lest God become angry at your voice and destroy the works of your hands. 6 For dreams and futile things and many words are in abundance. As for you, fear God! Unfairness 7 If you see the oppression of the poor and seizure of judgment and of righteousness in the territory, do not marvel at the matter; there is a high one to keep watch over the high one, and high ones over them. 8 And there is a surplus of land. Over all there is a king of the worked field. 9 The one who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver. And who loved produce in their abundance? And this too is futility. 10 In an abundance of goodness, they who eat it increase. And what virtue is there for the one who has it? For the beginning of his eye is to see. 11 The sleep of the slave is sweet whether he eats little or much; and for the one who is filled from being rich, there is no one who lets him sleep. 12 There is a sickness that I saw under the sun, wealth being guarded by the one who has it to his misfortune. 13 And that wealth will perish in a wicked distraction, and he fathered a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 14 Just as he came out of his mother’s womb naked, he shall return to go as he comes, and nothing shall he take from his labor, so that it should go in his hand. 15 And this too is a grievous sickness; for as he came, so also he will leave. And the surplus for him, for which he labors, is it for the wind? 16 And also all his days are in darkness and in grief and great wrath and sickness and bitterness. Enjoy God’s Gift 17 Look, I have seen a good thing that is fine: to eat and drink and to see goodness in all his labor, at whatever he labors under the sun for the number of the days of his life that God gave him, for it is his portion. 18 And also every person to whom God gave him wealth and possessions, and has given authority over them, to consume from him and to receive his portion and to make merry in his labor, this is a gift of God. 19 For he will not otherwise remember the days of his life; for God will distract him with the merriment of his heart. The Futility of Life

6There is an evil that I saw under the sun, and it is abundant under humanity. 2 A man to whom God will give him wealth and possessions and glory, and there is no lack for his soul of all that he shall long for, and God shall not give him authority to consume any of it, for a foreign man will eat it. This is futility and an evil sickness. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and shall live many years, and whatever abundance the days of his years shall be, and his soul not be filled by goodness, and also there be no burial for him, I would say a miscarriage is better off than he. 4 For it came in futility, and it goes in darkness, and in darkness its name will be covered. 5 And also it did not see the sun and did not know rest for this one more than this one. 6 Even if he lived recurrences of a thousand years and saw no goodness, does he not go to one place? 7 All of a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet his soul will not be filled. 8 For there is a surplus for the wise over the fool, because the needy knows to go before life. 9 Better the vision of the eyes than the going of the soul; and this too is pointlessness and the preference of the wind. Knowledge of the Future 10 If something has happened, its name has already been called. And it has been known what a person is, and he shall not be able to be judged with the one who is stronger than he. 11 For there are many words increasing futilities.

7aWhat surplus is there for a person? For who has known a good thing for a person in life, the number of the days of his life of futility? And he did them in a shadow. For who shall tell a person what will be after him under the sun? Comparisons and Excess 2 A good name is better than olive oil, and the day of death than the day of birth. 3 It is better to go to the house of sorrow than to go to the house of drinking, as this is the end of every person, and the one who lives shall give a good thing into his heart. 4 Wrath is better than laughter, for in an evil face he shall be cheered. 5 The heart of the wise is in the house of sorrow, and the heart of fools is in the house of merriment. 6 It is better to hear a rebuke of a wise person than a man hearing a song of fools. 7 Like the sound of thorns under the kettle, so is the laughter of the fools, and this too is futility. 8 For oppression maddens a wise person and destroys the heart of his nobility. 9 Better is the last time of words than its beginning; better is patience than loftiness in spirit. 10 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be wrathful, for wrath will come to rest in the lap of the foolish. 11 Do not say, “What happened that the former days were better than these?” For you have not asked concerning this in wisdom. 12 Better is wisdom with an inheritance and a surplus for those who look at the sun. 13 For in its shadow wisdom is like a silver shadow; and a surplus of the knowledge of wisdom will enliven its friend. 14 Look at the works of God; for who shall be able to order whatever God twists? 15 In a day of goodness live in what is good, and look, in a day of evil see even also harmoniously with this one: God made this concerning speech, so that the person would not find anything after him. 16 I saw everything in my days of futility; there is the righteous perishing in his righteousness, and there is the ungodly remaining in his evil. 17 Do not become very righteous or become excessively wise, lest you be overwhelmed. 18 Do not be very ungodly and do not become stubborn, lest you die outside your time. 19 It is good for you to guard in this, and also by this you should not defile your hand, because for those who fear God, all things shall come forth. All Are Wicked 20 Wisdom shall help the wise more than ten authorities who are in the city. 21 For there is no righteous person in the land, who will do good and not sin. 22 And also, to all the words that the ungodly shall speak, do not set your heart, so that you do not hear your servant cursing you. 23 For very often he shall act wickedly toward you and do evil to your heart with many repetitions; for as even you also cursed others. Seeking Wisdom and Women 24 I tested all these things in wisdom. I said, “I shall be wise.” 25 And it was distant from me—farther than that which was and deep of depth—who shall find it? 26 I myself and my heart circled around to know and to look closely and to seek wisdom and an account, and to know of the folly of the ungodly and importunity and madness. 27 And I am finding her, and I will say she is more bitter than death, together, the woman who is a snare, and her heart is nets; a bond is in her hands. The person who is good before God’s face is delivered from her, and the sinner is collected in her. 28 Look, I found this, said the ecclesiast, one woman to one woman, to reach the calculation 29 that my soul sought, and I did not find it. And I found one person out of a thousand, but I did not find one woman among all these. 30 Except look, I found this: that God made, all together, humanity right; and they sought many calculations. Fear of God and King aWho knows a wise man? And who knows an interpretation of a saying?

8The wisdom of a person will illuminate his face, and the one without shame in his face will be hated. 2 Guard the mouth of the king, And about the word of an oath of God do not hurry. 3 You shall go from his face; do not stand in a wicked word, for he will do everything he will wish— 4 just as a king who has authority, and who shall say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 The one who guards a command will not know a wicked word, and the heart of the wise knows the time of judgment. 6 For in every matter there is a time and judgment, for the knowledge of a person is great upon him. 7 For there is no one who knows what will be, for who will declare to him just how it will be? 8 There is no person who has authority over the wind to hinder the wind, and there is no authority over the day of death, and there is no discharge on the day of battle, and ungodliness will not preserve its friend. 9 And I saw all of this, and I gave my heart to every activity that has been done under the sun, whatever things regarding which a person has authority over another person to mistreat him. 10 And then I saw the ungodly being brought into the tombs and from the holy place; and they went, and they were praised in the city because they acted like this. And this too is futility. 11 Because there is no controversy that comes from those who quickly do what is evil, therefore, the heart of the sons of humans was fully inclined in them to do what is wicked. 12 The one who sinned did what is wicked from that time and from their length; for also I, too, know that there is a good thing for those who fear God, that they fear his face. 13 And there is nothing good for the ungodly, and he will not prolong his days in shadow who is not fearful before God’s face. 14 There is a futility that has been done on the earth, that there are righteous people that it happens upon them as the action of the wicked; and there are the ungodly that it happens to them as the action of the righteous. I said that even also this is futility. 15 And I praised, together, merriment, as there is nothing good for humanity under the sun except to eat and drink and make merry; and it shall be there with him in his labor of the days of his life, for as many as God gave him under the sun. The One Fate of the Righteous and the Wicked[1] 16 Among which things I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the distraction that has been done on the earth, for also in the day and the night there is no one who sees sleep for his eyes; 17 and I saw all of the works of God, which no person shall be able to find, together, the work that has been done under the sun; as much as a person might labor to seek it, and he will not find it. And also, as much as a wise person claims to know, he will not be able to find it. aFor I gave all this to my heart, and my heart saw all of this.

9As the righteous and the wise and their works are in God’s hand, and also there is no person who sees both love and hate; all things are before their face. bFutility is in all things. 2 There is one fate for the righteous and the ungodly, for the good and for the evil, and for the pure and for the impure, and for the one who sacrifices and for the one who does not sacrifice. As is the good person, so is the sinner; as is the one who swears, just so is the one afraid of the oath. 3 This wicked thing is in everything that has been done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and also the heart of the sons of humans is filled with what is wicked, and madness is in their heart in their life, and after them to the dead. 4 For who is the one that has fellowship with all those who live? There is hope; for the living dog is better than the dead lion. 5 For the living will know that they will die, and the dead are not knowing anything; and there is no reward for them anymore, for their memory has been forgotten. 6 And also their love and also their hate and also their jealousy have already perished, and also there is no share for them any longer for eternity in all that has been done under the sun. Enjoy Life 7 Come, eat your food in merriment, and drink your wine with a good heart, for already God has found pleasure in your deeds. 8 At every time let your garments be white, and let olive oil not be lacking on your head. 9 And see life with a woman whom you have loved all the days of your life of futility that have been given to you under the sun. All days are days of your vapor. For it is your portion in your life and in your labor at which you labor under the sun. 10 Anything that your hand finds to do, as is your power, do it, for there is no work or calculation or knowledge or wisdom in Hades, where you are going. Time and Fate 11 I turned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not to the able, and also bread is not to the wise, and wealth is not to the intelligent, and also grace is not to those who know; for time and fate shall fall upon them all. 12 For also even man does not know his time. Like the fish that are caught in a good net and like birds that are caught in a snare, like them, the sons of humans are snared in a wicked time, when it falls on them suddenly. The Wise Savior of the City 13 And also I saw this as wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me. 14 A little city and few men in it, and a great king comes against it and surrounds it, and he builds a great palisade against it. 15 And in it is found a poor wise man, and he saves the city through his wisdom, and no person remembered, together, that poor man. 16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than power, and the wisdom of the poor is scorned, and his words are not heeded.” Words of the Wise 17 The words of the wise are heard in rest more than the shouting of the authorities in follies. 18 Wisdom is better than instruments of war, and one sinner will destroy much goodness.

10Flies that kill will spoil a preparation, the olive oil of seasoning; the word of wisdom is more precious than the glory of great folly. 2 The heart of the wise leans to his right; and the heart of the fool to his left. 3 And also, when a fool goes along the road, his heart will be lacking, and all that he considers is folly. 4 If the spirit of the one in authority rises up against you, do not leave your place, for healing will stop great sins. 5 There is an evil that I saw under the sun, as a mistake came from the face of one in authority. 6 The fool was placed in great high places, and the rich will sit in a lowly one. 7 I saw slaves on horses and rulers walking like slaves on the earth. 8 The one who digs a pit shall fall in it, and a serpent shall bite him who takes down a fence. 9 The one who lifts stones shall be worn out by them; the one who splits trees takes a risk with them. 10 If the axe head falls off, he himself also unsettled his face, and he will empower his powers; even wisdom is no surplusa to the man. 11 If a serpent bites with no whispering, there is no surplus even for one who uses charms. 12 Words from the mouth of the wise are a grace, and the lips of the foolish will sink him. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, and the last of him is a wicked curve. 14 And the fool increases words. A person does not know what happened and what will be. Who will tell him what is after him? 15 The labor of fools mistreats them, who did not know how to go into the city. 16 Woe to you, city, whose king is younger, and your rulers eat in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, land, whose king is a son of free people, and your rulers will eat at the time with power and not be shamed. 18 Through laziness the roof shall be brought down, and through the idleness of hands the house will drip. 19 They make bread for laughter, and wine and olive oil for the living to make merry, and all things will obey silver with humility. 20 And also, do not curse a king in your conscience, and in your bedroomsa do not curse the rich, for a bird of the heavens will carry your voice, and he with his wings will report your word. Sowing and Reaping

11Send your bread upon the face of the water, for in a great number of days you will find it. 2 Give a portion to the seven and even to the eight, for you do not know what wicked thing will be upon the earth. 3 If clouds are filled with rain, they pour upon the earth. And whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree will fall, there it will be. 4 The one who observes the wind will not sow, and the one who looks among the clouds will not reap. 5 In times when there is no one who knows what is the way of the wind, like bones in the womb of one who is pregnant, so you will not know the works of God, the whole of whatever he will do. 6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let your hand be slack, for you do not know what sort will prosper, whether this or that, and whether the two together will be good. 7 And the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see, together, the sun. 8 For even if the person shall live many years, in all of them he shall make merry, and he shall remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that is coming is futility. Youth 9 Make merry, young man, in your youth, and let your heart do you good in the days of your youth, and walk blameless by the ways and not by the vision of your eyes; and know that God shall bring you in judgment for all these things. 10 And remove wrath from your heart, and lead evil from your flesh, for youth and folly are futility. Remember God While You Can

12And remember the one who created you in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years shall arrivea in which you shall say, “There is no desire in them for me.” 2 Before the sun is darkened and the light and the moon and the stars, and the clouds shall return after the rain; 3 in the day when the guards of the house shake, and men of strength are twisted, and the women who grind were idle for they were few, and the women who look out the windows shall be darkened; 4 and they shall close the door in the marketplace for the weakness of the sound of the woman who grinds; and one shall rise up at a sound of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be humbled; 5 and they shall look to the height, and terrors shall be in the road; and the almond tree shall bloom, and the locust grow fat, and the caper plant break open, for the person went into his eternal house, and the mourners circled in the marketplace; 6 before the rope of silver is ruined, and the flower of gold is crushed, and a pitcher at the spring is crushed, and the wheel at the cistern runs together; 7 and the dust returns to the land like it was, and the wind returns to God who gave it. 8 “Futility of futilities,” said the ecclesiast, “all things are futile.” Ecclesiast’s Mission 9 And furthermore, because Ecclesiast became wise, because he taught, together, humanity knowledge, and an ear shall track out an arrangement of parables. 10 Many things Ecclesiast sought to find desirable words and what is written of rightness, truthful words. Against Excess 11 The words of the wise are like ox goads and like fixed nails, those from the collection; they were given by one shepherd. 12 And there is a surplus from them. My son, guard against making many scrolls; there is no end, and much meditation is a weariness of the flesh. The End of the Word 13 Hear the whole end of the word: “Fear God and guard his commands,” for this is the whole person. 14 For God will remember every action in judgment, in each thing that has been overlooked, whether good or wicked.