Ecclesiastes 12

1 Also call to mind your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of difficulty come, and before the years arrive when you 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 do this before the light of the sun and the moon and the stars grows dark, and dark 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 That will be the time when the palace guards will tremble, and strong men are bent over, and the women who grind cease because they are few, and those who look out of windows no longer see clearly.

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 That will be the time when the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of grinding stops, when men are startled at the voice of a bird, and the singing of girls' voices fades away.

兩扇街門將要關閉，磨聲低微，雀鳥息聲，歌女低吟，

5 That will be the time when men become afraid of heights and of dangers along on the road, and when the almond tree blossoms, and when grasshoppers drag themselves along, and when natural desires fail. Then man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go down 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 Call to mind your Creator before the silver cord is cut, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the water wheel is broken at the well,

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 before the dust returns to the earth where it came from, and the spirit returns to 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 “A mist of vapor,” says the Teacher, “everything is vanishing vapor.”

訓道者說：虛而又虛，萬事皆虛。

9 The Teacher was wise and he taught the people knowledge. He studied and contemplated 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 Teacher sought to write using vivid, upright 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 wise people are like goads. Like nails driven deeply are the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs, which are taught by 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 My son, be aware of something more: the making of many books, which has no end and much study brings weariness to the body.

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 The end of the matter after everything has been heard, is that you must fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind.

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 will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

因為天主對一切行為，連最隱秘的，不論好壞，都要一一審判。