Ecclesiastes 12

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

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor 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:

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not darkened, nor 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 of the windows shall be darkened,

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 streets, when the sound of the grinding shall be low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the 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 fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire 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,

Or ever the silver cord shall be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

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

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.

8 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.

Vanity of vanities saith the preacher; all [is] vanity.

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

And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge: yes, he gave good heed, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.

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

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and [that which was] written [was] upright, [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 fastened [by] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.

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

And further, by these, 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:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.

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

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it is] good, or whether [it is] evil.