Ecclesiastes 12

1 REMEMBER now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

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；

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

不要等到太陽、光體、月亮、星辰失光，雨後雲彩再來；

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

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，

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

兩扇街門將要關閉，磨聲低微，雀鳥息聲，歌女低吟，

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

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；

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

那時銀鏈將斷，金燈將碎，水罐將破於泉旁，輪子將爛於井邊，

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

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。

8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

訓道者說：虛而又虛，萬事皆虛。

9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

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。

10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

訓道者費神尋找適當的語句，忠誠地寫下了真理之言。

11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

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。

12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

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。

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

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。」

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. THE

因為天主對一切行為，連最隱秘的，不論好壞，都要一一審判。