Ecclesiastes 12

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

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;

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

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;

3 quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosae erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina:

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;

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

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;

5 Excelsa quoque timebunt, et formidabunt in via, florebit amygdalus, impinguabitur locusta, et dissipabitur capparis: quoniam ibit homo in domum aeternitatis suae, et circuibunt in platea plangentes.

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;

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

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;

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

And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.

8 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.

All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.

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

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.

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

The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.

11 Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quae per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.

The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.

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

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.

13 Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata eius observa: hoc est enim omnis homo:

This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.

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

God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.