Ecclesiastes 12

1 And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [you] in which you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.

Remember also your Creator in days of your youth, While that the evil days do not come, Nor the years have arrived, that you say, “I have no pleasure in them.”

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

While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.

3 in the day wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;

In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,

4 and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] rises at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.

5 and they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:

Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper has become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going to his perpetual home, And the mourners have gone around through the street.

6 before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.

7 [before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.

Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.

9 And because the Preacher was wise above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out—he made right many allegories.

10 The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.

The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and [that] written [by] the upright—words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

Words of the wise [are] as the goads, and as nails planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one Shepherd.

12 And moreover, my son, guard yourself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many scrolls has no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.

13 Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.

The end of the whole matter let us hear: “Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.

14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.

For every work God brings into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.”