Ecclesiastes 12
1 [Memento Creatoris tui in diebus juventutis tuæ, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni de quibus dicas: Non mihi placent;
Yet remember thy Creator, in the days of thy vigour, —or ever come in, the days of discomfort, and the years arrive, in which thou shalt say—I have, in them, no pleasure;
2 antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam;
Or ever be darkened—the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, —and the clouds return after a downpour of rain;
3 quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosæ erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina;
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the men of might bow themselves, —and the grinders cease because they are few, and they who look through the windows are darkened;
4 et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis:
And the doors in the street be closed, when the sound of the mill become low, —and one rise at the chirp of a small bird, and low-voiced be all the daughters of song;
5 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.
Yea, at what is high, they be in fear, and there be, terrors, in the way, and the almond be rejected, and the grasshopper drag itself along, and desire perish, —for man is going to his age-abiding home, when the wailers shall go round in the streets;
6 Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, —or the bucket by the fountain be shivered, or the wheel at the well be broken;
7 et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.
And the dust return to the earth, as it was, —and, the spirit, return unto God, who gave it.
8 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.]
Vanity of vanities, saith the Proclaimer, all, is vanity.
9 [Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat; et investigans composuit parabolas multas.
Besides that, the Proclaimer being wise, —still further taught knowledge unto the people, and weighed and searched, arranged proverbs in abundance.
10 Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos.
The Proclaimer sought to find out words giving delight, and to note down rightly, the words of truth.
11 Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.
The words of the wise, are as goads, yea, as driven nails, their well-ordered sayings, —given from one shepherd.
12 His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis; frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.
And besides, from them, my son, be admonished, —Of making many books, there is no end, and, much study, is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata ejus observa: hoc est enim omnis homo,
The conclusion of the matter—the whole, let us hear, —Towards God, be reverent, and, his commandments, observe, for, this, [concerneth] all mankind.
14 et cuncta quæ fiunt adducet Deus in judicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.]
For, every work, will God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, —whether good, or evil.
