Ecclesiastes 12
1 memento creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae antequam veniat tempus adflictionis et adpropinquent anni de quibus dicas non mihi placent
But remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youthful vigor, while the evil days are not yet come, nor those years draw nigh of which thou wilt 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 the light, and the moon, and the stars, are not yet darkened, and the clouds return not again after the rain;
3 quando commovebuntur custodes domus et nutabuntur viri fortissimi et otiosae erunt molentes inminuto numero et tenebrescent videntes per foramina
On the day when the watchmen of the house will tremble and the men of might will bend themselves, and the grinders stand idle, because they are become few, and those be darkened that look through the windows;
4 et claudent ostia in platea in humilitate vocis molentis et consurgent ad vocem volucris et obsurdescent omnes filiae carminis
And when the two doors on the streets will be locked, while the sound of the mill becometh dull, and man riseth up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are 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
Also when men will be afraid of every elevation, and are terrified on every way, and the almond-tree will refuse [its blossom], and the locust will drag itself slowly along, and the desire will gainsay compliance; because man goeth to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets;
6 antequam rumpatur funis argenteus et recurrat vitta aurea et conteratur hydria super fontem et confringatur rota super cisternam
While the silver cord is not yet torn loose, and the golden bowl is not crushed, and the pitcher is not broken at the fountain, and the wheel is not crushed at the cistern;
7 et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat et spiritus redeat ad Deum qui dedit illum
When the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return unto God who gave it.—
8 vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes omnia vanitas
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth: all is vanity.—
9 cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes docuit populum et enarravit quae fecerit et investigans conposuit parabolas multas
And in addition to this that Koheleth was wise, he continually also taught the people knowledge, and he probed, and searched out, and composed many proverbs.
10 quaesivit verba utilia et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos
Koheleth sought to find out acceptable words, and that which would be written down uprightly, 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 like goads, and like nails fastened [are the words of] the men of the assemblies, which are given by one shepherd.
12 his amplius fili mi ne requiras faciendi plures libros nullus est finis frequensque meditatio carnis adflictio est
But more than all these, my son, take warning for thyself: the making of many books would have no end; and much preaching is a weariness of the flesh.
13 finem loquendi omnes pariter audiamus Deum time et mandata eius observa hoc est enim omnis homo
The end of the matter is, let us hear the whole: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty of] man.
14 et cuncta quae fiunt adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato sive bonum sive malum sit
For every deed will God bring into the judgment concerning every thing that hath been hidden, whether it be good, or whether it be bad.
