Ecclesiastes 12

1 Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;

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, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see;

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 shall be darkened,

4 When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding shall be low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low.

5 And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets;

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 Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;

Or ever the silver cord shall be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.

8 All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.

Vanity of vanities saith the preacher; all [is] vanity.

9 And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.

And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge: yes, he gave good heed, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.

10 The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.

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 pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.

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, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.

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 This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.

14 God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it is] good, or whether [it is] evil.