1 memento creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae
antequam veniat tempus adflictionis
et adpropinquent 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 nutabuntur viri fortissimi
et otiosae erunt molentes inminuto numero
et tenebrescent videntes per foramina
4 et claudent ostia in platea in humilitate vocis molentis
et consurgent ad vocem volucris
et obsurdescent omnes filiae carminis
5 excelsa quoque timebunt et formidabunt in via
florebit amigdalum inpinguabitur lucusta
et dissipabitur capparis
quoniam ibit homo in domum aeternitatis suae
et circumibunt in platea plangentes
6 antequam rumpatur funis argenteus
et recurrat vitta aurea
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
omnia vanitas
9 cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes docuit populum
et enarravit quae fecerit
et investigans conposuit parabolas multas
10 quaesivit verba utilia
et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos
11 verba sapientium sicut stimuli et quasi clavi in altum defixi
quae per magistrorum concilium data sunt a pastore uno
12 his amplius fili mi ne requiras
faciendi plures libros nullus est finis
frequensque meditatio carnis adflictio est
13 finem loquendi omnes pariter audiamus
Deum time et mandata eius observa
hoc est enim omnis homo
14 et cuncta quae fiunt adducet Deus in iudicium
pro omni errato
sive bonum sive malum sit
EXPLICIT LIBER ECCLESIASTES1 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.