Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, and the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not:

Memento Creatoris tui in diebus juventutis tuæ, antequam veniat tempus afflictionis, et appropinquent anni de quibus dicas: Non mihi placent;

Do not forget thy Maker, now, while youth lasts; now, while the evil days are still far off, the years that pass unwelcomed.

Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain:

antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam;

Not yet the obscuration of sun and moon and starlight; and the clouds that still gather when the rainy season is done.

When the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall stagger, and the grinders shall be idle in a small number, and they that look through the holes shall be darkened:

quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosæ erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina;

One day, palsy will shake those door-keepers, those stalwart guards will be bowed with age; rarer, now, the busy maidens at the mill, dimmer, now, those bright glances from the windows.

And they shall shut the doors in the street, when the grinder’s voice shall be low, and they shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall grow deaf.

et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis:

The street-doors shut, muffled the hum of the mill, bird-song for waking-time, and all the echoes of music faint!

And they shall fear high things, and they shall be afraid in the way, the almond tree shall flourish, the locust shall be made fat, and the caper tree shall be destroyed: because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall go round about in the street.

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.

Fear upon every height, terrors on the road; almond-blossom matched for whiteness; the grasshopper’s weight a burden now; the spiced food untasted! Man is for his everlasting home, and already the mourners are astir in the streets.

Before the silver cord be broken, and the golden fillet shrink back, and the pitcher be crushed at the fountain, and the wheel be broken upon the cistern,

Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,

That, or else yonder cord of silver will be loosed, yonder golden skein unravelled; pitcher broken beside the fountain, wheel lost in the well;

And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.

et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.

with that, back goes dust to its parent earth, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.

Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.

A shadow’s shadow, he, the Spokesman, tells us, a world of shadows!

And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and declared the things that he had done: and seeking out, he set forth many parables.

Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat; et investigans composuit parabolas multas.

Abundant wisdom the Spokesman had, to be the oracle of his people; the story of his life he made known to them, laid secrets bare, and proverbs framed a many.

He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full of truth.

Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos.

Sayings of much import he devised, and nothing his pen set down but was truth unalloyed.

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails deeply fastened in, which by the counsel of masters are given from one shepherd.

Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.

Sharp goads they are to sting us, sharp nails driven deep home, these wise words left to us by many masters, but all echoing one shepherd’s voice.

More than these, my son, require not. Of making many books there is no end: and much study is an affliction of the flesh.

His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis; frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.

Let these, my son, be all the wisdom thou cravest; this writing of books is an endless matter, and from overmuch study nature rebels.

Let us all hear together the conclusion of the discourse. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is all man:

Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata ejus observa: hoc est enim omnis homo,

Conclude we then thus in general; Fear God, and keep his commandments; this is the whole meaning of man.

And all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for every error, whether it be good or evil.

et cuncta quæ fiunt adducet Deus in judicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.

No act of thine but God will bring it under his scrutiny, deep beyond all thy knowing, and pronounce it good or evil.