Liber Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes, chapter 12, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 12 Vulgate

   1 Memento Creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni, de quibus dicas: "Non mihi placent";
   2 antequam tenebrescat sol et lumen et luna et stellae, et revertantur nubes post pluviam;
   3 quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosae erunt molentes imminuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina,
   4 et claudentur ostia in platea submissa voce molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et subsident omnes filiae carminis;
   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,
   6 antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et frangatur lecythus aureus, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,
   7 et revertatur pulvis in terram suam, unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.
   8 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.
   9 Cumque esset sapientissimus, Ecclesiastes docuit insuper populum scientiam; ponderavit et investigans composuit parabolas multas.
   10 Quaesivit Ecclesiastes verba delectabilia et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos.
   11 Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi defixi sunt magistri collationum; data sunt a pastore uno.
   12 His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras: faciendi plures libros nullus est finis, frequensque meditatio carnis afflictio est.
   13 Finis loquendi, omnibus auditis: Deum time et mandata eius observa; hoc est enim omnis homo.
   14 Et cuncta, quae fiunt, adducet Deus in iudicium circa omne occultum, sive bonum sive malum.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
   2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
   3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
   4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
   5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
   6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
   7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
   8 ¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
   9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
   10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
   11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
   12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
   13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
   14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.