Книга Екклезиаста 12
1 И помяни Сотворшаго тя во днех юности твоея, дондеже не приидут дние злобы твоея, и приспеют лета, в нихже речеши: несть ми в них хотения:
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 дондеже не померкнет солнце и свет, и луна и звезды, и обратятся облацы созади дождя:
do this before the light of the sun and the moon and the stars grows dark, and dark clouds return after the rain.
3 в день, в оньже подвигнутся стражие дому, и развратятся мужие силы, и упразднятся мелющии, яко умалишася, и помрачатся зрящии во скважнех:
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 и затворят двери на торжищи, в немощи гласа мелющия, и востанет на глас птицы, и смирятся вся дщери песни:
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 и на высоту узрят, и ужас на пути, и процветет амигдал, и отолстеют прузие, и разрушится каппарис: яко отиде человек в дом века своего, и обыдоша на торжищи плачущии:
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 дондеже не превратится уже сребряное, и не сокрушится повязка златая, и сокрушится водонос у источника, и сломится колесо в колии.
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 И возвратится персть в землю, якоже бе, и дух возвратится к Богу, иже даде его.
before the dust returns to the earth where it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Суета суетствий, рече Екклесиаст, всяческая суета.
“A mist of vapor,” says the Teacher, “everything is vanishing vapor.”
9 И лишшее, яко бысть Екклесиаст мудр, и яко научи разуму человека: и ухо изследит красоту притчей.
The Teacher was wise and he taught the people knowledge. He studied and contemplated and set in order many proverbs.
10 Много взыска Екклесиаст, еже обрести словеса хотения, и написаное правости, словеса истины.
The Teacher sought to write using vivid, upright words of truth.
11 Словеса мудрых якоже остны воловии и якоже гвоздие вонзено, иже от сложений дани быша от пастыря единаго.
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 И множае от них, сыне мой, хранися: творити книги многи несть конца, и учение многое труд плоти.
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 Конец слова, все слушай: Бога бойся и заповеди Его храни, яко сие всяк человек:
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 яко все творение приведет Бог на суд о всяцем погрешении, аще благо и аще лукаво.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
