< Ecclesiastes 12 >
1 memento creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae antequam veniat tempus adflictionis et adpropinquent anni de quibus dicas non mihi placent
Also call to mind your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of difficulty come, and before the years arrive when you say, “I have no pleasure in them,”
2 antequam tenebrescat sol et lumen et luna et stellae et revertantur nubes post pluviam
do this before the light of the sun and the moon and the stars grows dark, and dark 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
That will be the time when the palace guards will tremble, and strong men are bent over, and the women who grind cease because they are few, and those who look out of windows no longer see clearly.
4 et claudent ostia in platea in humilitate vocis molentis et consurgent ad vocem volucris et obsurdescent omnes filiae carminis
That will be the time when the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of grinding stops, when men are startled at the voice of a bird, and the singing of girls' voices fades away.
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
That will be the time when men become afraid of heights and of dangers along on the road, and when the almond tree blossoms, and when grasshoppers drag themselves along, and when natural desires fail. Then man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go down the streets.
6 antequam rumpatur funis argenteus et recurrat vitta aurea et conteratur hydria super fontem et confringatur rota super cisternam
Call to mind your Creator before the silver cord is cut, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the water wheel is broken at the well,
7 et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat et spiritus redeat ad Deum qui dedit illum
before the dust returns to the earth where it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes omnia vanitas
“A mist of vapor,” says the Teacher, “everything is vanishing vapor.”
9 cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes docuit populum et enarravit quae fecerit et investigans conposuit parabolas multas
The Teacher was wise and he taught the people knowledge. He studied and contemplated and set in order many proverbs.
10 quaesivit verba utilia et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos
The Teacher sought to write using vivid, upright 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 wise people are like goads. Like nails driven deeply are the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs, which are taught by one shepherd.
12 his amplius fili mi ne requiras faciendi plures libros nullus est finis frequensque meditatio carnis adflictio est
My son, be aware of something more: the making of many books, which has no end and much study brings weariness to the body.
13 finem loquendi omnes pariter audiamus Deum time et mandata eius observa hoc est enim omnis homo
The end of the matter after everything has been heard, is that you must fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind.
14 et cuncta quae fiunt adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato sive bonum sive malum sit
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.