Ecclesiastes 12
1 memento creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae antequam veniat tempus adflictionis et adpropinquent 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 stellae 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 nutabuntur viri fortissimi et otiosae erunt molentes inminuto 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 filiae 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 amigdalum inpinguabitur lucusta et dissipabitur capparis quoniam ibit homo in domum aeternitatis suae et circumibunt 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 funis 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 omnia vanitas
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.
9 cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes docuit populum et enarravit quae fecerit et investigans conposuit 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 quaesivit 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 quae per magistrorum concilium 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 adflictio 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 omnes pariter 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 quae fiunt adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato sive bonum sive malum sit
For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
