Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
Memento Creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuæ, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni, de quibus dicas: Non mihi placent,
2 before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam:
3 on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosæ erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina:
4 when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,
et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis.
5 when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
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.
6 Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,
7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.
8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat: et investigans composuit parabolas multas.
10 The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos, ac veritate plenos.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.
12 And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
His amplius fili mi ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis: frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.
13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata eius observa: hoc est enim omnis homo:
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
et cuncta, quæ fiunt, adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.
