Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them:

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 Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:

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

3 When the keepers of ye house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them selues, and the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out by ye windowes:

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.

4 And the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.

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 Also they shalbe afraide of the hie thing, and feare shalbe in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grassehopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away: for man goeth to the house of his age, and the mourners goe about in the streete.

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 Whiles the siluer coarde is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheele broken at the cisterne:

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,

7 And dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.

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

8 Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.

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

9 And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.

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 The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.

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

11 The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.

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.

12 And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.

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 vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.

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

14 For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.

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