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；

Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue 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；

Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:

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，

When the keepers of ye house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them selues, and the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out by ye windowes:

4 兩扇街門將要關閉，磨聲低微，雀鳥息聲，歌女低吟，

And the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.

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；

Also they shalbe afraide of the hie thing, and feare shalbe in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grassehopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away: for man goeth to the house of his age, and the mourners goe about in the streete.

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，

Whiles the siluer coarde is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheele broken at the cisterne:

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。

And dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.

8 訓道者說：虛而又虛，萬事皆虛。

Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.

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 the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many 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 to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.

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 wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.

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 of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines 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。」

Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of 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 euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.