Ecclesiastes 12

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Memento Creatoris tui in diebus juventutis tuæ, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni de quibus dicas : Non mihi placent ;	1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come And the years approach of which you will say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam ;	2 Before the sun is darkened. and the light, and the moon, and the stars, while the clouds return after the rain;
3 quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosæ erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina ;	3 When the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, And the grinders are idle because they are few, and they who look through the windows grow blind;
4 et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis :	4 When the doors to the street are shut, and the sound of the mill is low; When one waits for the chirp of a bird, but all the daughters of song are suppressed;
5 excelsa 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.	5 And one fears heights, and perils in the street; When the almond tree blooms, and the locust grows sluggish and the caper berry is without effect, Because man goes to his lasting home, and mourners go about the streets;
6 Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,	6 Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken, And the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the broken pulley falls into the well,
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 once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it.
8 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.	8 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity!
9 Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat ; et investigans composuit parabolas multas.	9 Besides being wise, Qoheleth taught the people knowledge, and weighed, scrutinized and arranged many proverbs.
10 Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos.	10 Qoheleth sought to find pleasing sayings, and to write down true sayings with precision.
11 Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.	11 The sayings of the wise are like goads; like fixed spikes are the topics given by one collector.
12 His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis ; frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.	12 As to more than these, my son, beware. Of the making of many books there is no end, and in much study there is weariness for the flesh.
13 Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata ejus observa : hoc est enim omnis homo,	13 The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man's all;
14 et cuncta quæ fiunt adducet Deus in judicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.	14 because God will bring to judgment every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.