Ecclesiastes 12

1 Memento Creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuæ, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni, de quibus dicas: Non mihi placent,

And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [you] in which you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.

2 antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam:

While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the 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 wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;

4 et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis.

and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

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.

and they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:

6 Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,

before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

7 et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.

[before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

8 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.

9 Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat: et investigans composuit parabolas multas.

And because the Preacher was wise above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

10 Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos, ac veritate plenos.

The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] 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, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

12 His amplius fili mi ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis: frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.

And moreover, my son, guard yourself by means of them: 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 eius observa: hoc est enim omnis homo:

Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.

14 et cuncta, quæ fiunt, adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.

For God will bring every work into judgement, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.