Ecclesiastes 12

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.”

Remember, also, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, “I have no pleasure in them;”

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

before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars become dark, and the clouds return after the rain;

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.

at the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened;

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.

when the doors are shut in the streets, while the sound of the mill is low; when they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low;

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.

when also they are afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, and the caper-berry is powerless; since man goeth to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; —

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,

before the silver cord be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be crushed, or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the wheel shattered at the well,

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

and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

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

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; 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.

Moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he considered, and sought out, and set in order, many proverbs.

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

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and to write correctly words 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.

The words of the wise are as goads; yea, as nails driven in are the words of members of assemblies, given by one shepherd.

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.

And, moreover, by these, my son, be warned! To the multiplying of books there is no end, and much study wearieth 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.

Let us hear the end of the whole discourse! Fear God and keep his commandments! For this is the duty of every man.

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

For God will bring every work into the judgment which there is upon every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.