In youth is fittest time, and most meritorious to serve God. In age the same is more and more necessary, but harder then to begin, and less grateful. 5. In this book the preacher hath shewed, that all worldly things are vanity, 13. and that true felicity is only procured by wisdom, which consisteth in the fear of God; and observation of his commandments.In youth is fittest time, and most meritorious to serue God. In age the same is more and more necessarie, but harder then to beginne, and lesse gratful. 5. In this booke the preacher hath shewed, that al worldlie thinges are vanitie, 13. and that true felicitie is only procured by wisdom, which consisteth in the feare of God; and obseruation of his commandments.✦
Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, and the years approach, of which thou mayest say: They please me not,REmember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, & the yeares approch, of which thou maist 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 ;
2before the sun, and light, and moon, and stars be dark, and the clouds return after the rain:before the sunne, and light, and moone, and starres be darke, and the cloudes returne after the raine:✦antequam tenebrescat sol, et lumen, et luna, et stellæ, et revertantur nubes post pluviam ;
3when the keepers of the house shall be moved, and the strongest men shall stagger, and the grinders shall be idle in a small number: and they shall wax dark that look through the holes:when the kepers of the house shal be moued, and the strongest men shal stagger, and the grinders shal be idle in a smal number: and they shal waxe darke that looke through the holes:✦quando commovebuntur custodes domus, et nutabunt viri fortissimi, et otiosæ erunt molentes in minuto numero, et tenebrescent videntes per foramina ;
4and they shall shut the doors in the street, at the humilitate: moral vileness; lowness, faintness of the grinders' voice, and they shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song shall be deaf.and they shal shut the doores in the streate, at the basenes of the grinders voice, and they shal rise vp at the voice of the birde, and al the daughters of song shal be deafe.✦et claudent ostia in platea, in humilitate vocis molentis, et consurgent ad vocem volucris, et obsurdescent omnes filiæ carminis :
5The high things also shall fear, and they shall be afraid in the way, the almond tree shall flourish, the locust shall be fatted, 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.The high thinges also shal feare, and they shal be afrayd in the way, the almondtree shal florish, the locust shal be fatted, and the capertree shal be destroyed: because man shal goe into the house of his eternitie, and the mourners shal goe round about in the streate.✦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.
6Before the silver cord be broken, and the golden headband recurrat: happen again, occur repeatedly; run back, spring back, and the water pot be broken upon the fountain, and the wheel be broken upon the cistern,Before the siluer coard be broken, and the golden headband recurre, and the water pot be broken vpon the fountaine, and the wheele be broken vpon the cesterne,✦Antequam rumpatur funiculus argenteus, et recurrat vitta aurea, et conteratur hydria super fontem, et confringatur rota super cisternam,
7and the dust return into his earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.and the dust returne into his earth, from whence it was, and the spirite returne to God, who gaue it.✦et revertatur pulvis in terram suam unde erat, et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.
8Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things vanity.Vanitie of vanities, sayd * Ecclesiastes, and al things vanitie.✦Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes, et omnia vanitas.
9And whereas Ecclesiastes was most wise, he taught the people, and declared the things that he had done: and searching forth made many parables.And wheras Ecclesiastes was most wise, he taught the people, and declared the thinges that he had done: and searching forth made manie parables.✦Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes, docuit populum, et enarravit quæ fecerat ; et investigans composuit parabolas multas.
10He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full of truth.He sought profitable wordes, and wrote wordes most right, and ful of truth.✦Quæsivit verba utilia, et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos.
11The words of wise men are as stimuli: pin-pricks, small stings; goads for driving cattle, and as nails deeply stricken in, which by the counsel of masters are given of one pastor.The wordes of wisemen are as prickes, and as nailes deepely stricken in, which by the counsel of maisters are geuen of one pastour.✦Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quæ per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno.
12More than these my son require not. Of making many books there is no end: and often meditation is affliction of the flesh.More then these my sonne require not. Of making manie bookes there is no end: and often meditation is affliction of the flesh.✦His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras. Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis ; frequensque meditatio, carnis afflictio est.
13Let us all hear together the end of speaking. Fear God, and observe his commandments: for this is every man:Let vs al heare together the end of speaking. Feare God, and obserue his commandments: for this is euerie man:✦Finem loquendi pariter omnes audiamus. Deum time, et mandata ejus observa : hoc est enim omnis homo,
14and all things that are done, God will bring into judgement for every errato: a mistake, a blunder; a fault, a hidden or secret misdeed, whether it be good, or evil.and al thinges that are done, God wil bring into iudgement for euerie * errour, whether it be good, or euil.✦et cuncta quæ fiunt adducet Deus in judicium pro omni errato, sive bonum, sive malum illud sit.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.