Ecclesiastes 12
Clementine Vulgate, 1598Translation
Clementine Vulgate, 1598
Berean Standard Bible
1[Memento Creatoris tui in diebus juventutis tuæ, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni de quibus dicas: Non mihi placent;
1Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
2antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam;
2before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
3quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosæ erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina;
3on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
4et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis:
4when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,
5excelsa quoque timebunt, et formidabunt in via. Florebit amygdalus, impinguabitur locusta, et dissipabitur capparis, quoniam ibit homo in domum æternitatis suæ, et circuibunt in platea plangentes.
5when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
6Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,
6Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
7et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.
7before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.]
8“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
9[Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat; et investigans composuit parabolas multas.
9Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
10Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos.
10The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
11Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.
11The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
12His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis; frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.
12And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
13Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata ejus observa: hoc est enim omnis homo,
13When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
14et cuncta quæ fiunt adducet Deus in judicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.]
14For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
Tip: use the ← and → keys to turn chapters.