傳道書 12

1 在你年輕的時日，在災禍的日子來到之前，即在你說的那些「沒有歡樂」的日子來到之前，你應記念你的造主；

And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [thee] in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

2 不要等到太陽、光體、月亮、星辰失光，雨後雲彩再來；

While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 因為那時，看門者戰慄，大力士屈伏，推磨的婦女因為少而停工，眺望窗外的女人面目昏黑，

in the day wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;

4 兩扇街門將要關閉，磨聲低微，雀鳥息聲，歌女低吟，

and they shall shut the doors in the market-place, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

5 怕上高處，行路危險，杏子被棄，蚱蜢被嫌，續隨子失去效力，因為人要回永久的家鄉，哀悼的人徘徊街頭；

and they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:

6 那時銀鏈將斷，金燈將碎，水罐將破於泉旁，輪子將爛於井邊，

before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

7 灰塵將歸於原來的土中，生氣將歸於天主，因為原是天主之所賜。

[before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

8 訓道者說：虛而又虛，萬事皆虛。

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.

9 訓道者不但是智者，並且教人獲得知識，在沉思推究之後，編撰了許多格言。

And because the Preacher was wise above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

10 訓道者費神尋找適當的語句，忠誠地寫下了真理之言。

The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.

11 智者的話好似錐子，收集起的言論集，好像釘牢的釘子：二者都是一位牧者所賜。

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

12 除此之外，我兒，不必再找別的書籍，書不論寫多少，總沒有止境；用功過度，必使身體疲倦。

And moreover, my son, guard thyself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 總而言之：「你應敬畏天主，遵守他的誡命，因為這是眾人的義務。」

Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.

14 因為天主對一切行為，連最隱秘的，不論好壞，都要一一審判。

For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.