Ecclesiastes 12

1 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.”

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them;"

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

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

3 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,

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 who look out of the windows are darkened,

4 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.

and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 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.

Also, they are afraid of heights, and of terrors in the way; and the almond tree blossoms, and the grasshopper is burdened, and the caper bush fails; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 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.

before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

7 And the dust returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns 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, the whole [is] vanity.

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher. All is vanity.

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

Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

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

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

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

The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of collections, which are given from one shepherd.

12 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.

Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

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

This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

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

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