Liber Ecclesiastes, 12
1. Memento Creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni, de quibus dicas: “Non mihi placent”;
1. Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, 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;
2. before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain;
3. quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosae erunt molentes imminuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina,
3. in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows are dimmed,
4. et claudentur ostia in platea submissa voce molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et subsident omnes filiae carminis;
4. and the doors on the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5. excelsa quoque timebunt et formidabunt in via. Florebit amygdalus, reptabit locusta, et dissipabitur capparis, quoniam ibit homo in domum aeternitatis suae, et circuibunt in platea plangentes,
5. they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets;
6. antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et frangatur lecythus aureus, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,
6. before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
7. et revertatur pulvis in terram suam, unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.
7. and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8. Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.
8. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
9. Cumque esset sapientissimus, Ecclesiastes docuit insuper populum scientiam; ponderavit et investigans composuit parabolas multas.
9. Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging proverbs with great care.
10. Quaesivit Ecclesiastes verba delectabilia et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos.
10. The Preacher sought to find pleasing words, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11. Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi defixi sunt magistri collationum; data sunt a pastore uno.
11. The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings which are given by one Shepherd.
12. His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras: faciendi plures libros nullus est finis, frequensque meditatio carnis afflictio est.
12. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13. Finis loquendi, omnibus auditis: Deum time et mandata eius observa; hoc est enim omnis homo.
13. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
14. Et cuncta, quae fiunt, adducet Deus in iudicium circa omne occultum, sive bonum sive malum.
14. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
