Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
καὶ μνήσθητι τοῦ κτίσαντός σε ἐν ἡμέραις νεότητός σου ἕως ὅτου μὴ ἔλθωσιν ἡμέραι τῆς κακίας καὶ φθάσωσιν ἔτη ἐν οἷς ἐρεῖς οὐκ ἔστιν μοι ἐν αὐτοῖς θέλημα
2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
ἕως οὗ μὴ σκοτισθῇ ὁ ἥλιος καὶ τὸ φῶς καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν τὰ νέφη ὀπίσω τοῦ ὑετοῦ
3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,
ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ ἐὰν σαλευθῶσιν φύλακες τῆς οἰκίας καὶ διαστραφῶσιν ἄνδρες τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ ἤργησαν αἱ ἀλήθουσαι ὅτι ὠλιγώθησαν καὶ σκοτάσουσιν αἱ βλέπουσαι ἐν ταῖς ὀπαῖς
4 and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
καὶ κλείσουσιν θύρας ἐν ἀγορᾷ ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ φωνῆς τῆς ἀληθούσης καὶ ἀναστήσεται εἰς φωνὴν τοῦ στρουθίου καὶ ταπεινωθήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ θυγατέρες τοῦ ᾄσματος
5 yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets;
καί γε ἀπὸ ὕψους ὄψονται καὶ θάμβοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ ἀνθήσῃ τὸ ἀμύγδαλον καὶ παχυνθῇ ἡ ἀκρίς καὶ διασκεδασθῇ ἡ κάππαρις ὅτι ἐπορεύθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς οἶκον αἰῶνος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν ἐν ἀγορᾷ οἱ κοπτόμενοι
6 before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
ἕως ὅτου μὴ ἀνατραπῇ σχοινίον τοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ συνθλιβῇ ἀνθέμιον τοῦ χρυσίου καὶ συντριβῇ ὑδρία ἐπὶ τὴν πηγήν καὶ συντροχάσῃ ὁ τροχὸς ἐπὶ τὸν λάκκον
7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
καὶ ἐπιστρέψῃ ὁ χοῦς ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ὡς ἦν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς τὸν θεόν ὃς ἔδωκεν αὐτό
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”
ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων εἶπεν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής τὰ πάντα ματαιότης
9 Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
καὶ περισσὸν ὅτι ἐγένετο Ἐκκλησιαστὴς σοφός ἔτι ἐδίδαξεν γνῶσιν σὺν τὸν λαόν καὶ οὖς ἐξιχνιάσεται κόσμιον παραβολῶν
10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
πολλὰ ἐζήτησεν Ἐκκλησιαστὴς τοῦ εὑρεῖν λόγους θελήματος καὶ γεγραμμένον εὐθύτητος λόγους ἀληθείας
11 The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
λόγοι σοφῶν ὡς τὰ βούκεντρα καὶ ὡς ἧλοι πεφυτευμένοι οἳ παρὰ τῶν συναγμάτων ἐδόθησαν ἐκ ποιμένος ἑνὸς καὶ περισσὸν ἐξ αὐτῶν
12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
υἱέ μου φύλαξαι ποιῆσαι βιβλία πολλά οὐκ ἔστιν περασμός καὶ μελέτη πολλὴ κόπωσις σαρκός
13 This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
τέλος λόγου τὸ πᾶν ἀκούεται τὸν θεὸν φοβοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ φύλασσε ὅτι τοῦτο πᾶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
ὅτι σὺν πᾶν τὸ ποίημα ὁ θεὸς ἄξει ἐν κρίσει ἐν παντὶ παρεωραμένῳ ἐὰν ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἐὰν πονηρόν
