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 also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, '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 that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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 that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,

4 兩扇街門將要關閉，磨聲低微，雀鳥息聲，歌女低吟，

And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.

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 of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.

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，

While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.

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

8 訓道者說：虛而又虛，萬事皆虛。

Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [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 further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.

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 find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, 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。

Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.

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 further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath 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。」

The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole 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 every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'