Ecclesiastes 12

1 Memento Creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuæ, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni, de quibus dicas: Non mihi placent,

Remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say: 'I have no pleasure in them';

2 antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam:

Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

3 quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosæ erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina:

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 that look out shall be darkened in the windows,

4 et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis.

And the doors shall be shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding is low; and one shall start up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 Excelsa quoque timebunt, et formidabunt in via, florebit amygdalus, impinguabitur locusta, et dissipabitur capparis: quoniam ibit homo in domum æternitatis suæ, et circuibunt in platea plangentes.

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall drag itself along, and the caperberry shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets;

6 Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,

Before the silver cord is snapped asunder, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel falleth shattered, into the pit;

7 et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.

And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

8 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.

Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; all is vanity.

9 Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat: et investigans composuit parabolas multas.

And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos, ac veritate plenos.

Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

11 Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd.

12 His amplius fili mi ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis: frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.

And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata eius observa: hoc est enim omnis homo:

The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man.

14 et cuncta, quæ fiunt, adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.

For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.