The Creator is to be remembered in the days of our youth: all worldly things are vain: we should fear God and keep his commandments.

¹ Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, “These do not please me.”

² Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,¹²

1. 12:2This verse refers to the three days of darkness and to the afflictions which precede it.(Conte)
2. 12:2Before the sun, etc: That is, before old age: the effects of which upon all the senses and faculties are described in the following verses, under a variety of figures.(Challoner)

³ when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened.¹

1. 12:3This verse refers to the tribulation, when the guardians of the beliefs and practices of the Church will tremble, and even those strongest in the faith will waver, and those who say Mass, consecrating the pure grain of the Eucharist, will be idle, except for a small number, and when those who prophecy about the future (looking, as it were, through the keyhole) will have nothing more to say.(Conte)

⁴ And they will close the doors to the street, when the voice of he who grinds the grain will be humbled, and they will be disturbed at the sound of a flying thing, and all the daughters of song shall become deaf.

⁵ Likewise, they will fear the things above them, and they will dread the way. The almond tree will flourish; the locust will be fattened; and the caper plant will be scattered, because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall wander around in the street.

⁶ Before the silver cord is broken, and the golden band pulls away, and the pitcher is crushed over the fountain, and the wheel is broken above the cistern,¹

1. 12:6I realize that verses 2 and 6 are not complete sentences in English, but the alternative is to make the whole passage one extremely long sentence, or to repeat the phrase ‘Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before…’ The Bible does not always follow modern rules of grammar and composition, so neither should a translator.(Conte)

⁷ and the dust returns to its earth, from which it was, and the spirit returns to God, who granted it.

⁸ Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all is vanity!

⁹ And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables.

¹⁰ He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth.

¹¹ The words of the wise are like a goad, and like nails deeply fastened, which, through the counsel of teachers, are set forth by one pastor.¹

1. 12:11This verse refers to the wisdom of the Magisterium and especially the teaching of the Supreme Pastor of Souls, the Pope.(Conte)

¹² You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh.

¹³ Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man.¹

1. 12:13All man: The whole business and duty of man.(Challoner)

The Words of Ecclesiastes

¹⁴ And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil.¹

1. 12:14Error: Or, hidden and secret thing.(Challoner)