Ecclesiastes 12
1 Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;
memento creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae antequam veniat tempus adflictionis et adpropinquent anni de quibus dicas non mihi placent
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;
antequam tenebrescat sol et lumen et luna et stellae et revertantur nubes post pluviam
3 In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see;
quando commovebuntur custodes domus et nutabuntur viri fortissimi et otiosae erunt molentes inminuto numero et tenebrescent videntes per foramina
4 When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
et claudent ostia in platea in humilitate vocis molentis et consurgent ad vocem volucris et obsurdescent omnes filiae carminis
5 And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets;
excelsa quoque timebunt et formidabunt in via florebit amigdalum inpinguabitur lucusta et dissipabitur capparis quoniam ibit homo in domum aeternitatis suae et circumibunt in platea plangentes
6 Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;
antequam rumpatur funis argenteus et recurrat vitta aurea et conteratur hydria super fontem et confringatur rota super cisternam
7 And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat et spiritus redeat ad Deum qui dedit illum
8 All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes omnia vanitas
9 And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.
cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes docuit populum et enarravit quae fecerit et investigans conposuit parabolas multas
10 The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
quaesivit verba utilia et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos
11 The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.
verba sapientium sicut stimuli et quasi clavi in altum defixi quae per magistrorum concilium data sunt a pastore uno
12 And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.
his amplius fili mi ne requiras faciendi plures libros nullus est finis frequensque meditatio carnis adflictio est
13 This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
finem loquendi omnes pariter audiamus Deum time et mandata eius observa hoc est enim omnis homo
14 God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.
et cuncta quae fiunt adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato sive bonum sive malum sit
