Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember your Creator when you are young,before the days of trouble comeand the years catch up with you.They will make you say,“I have found no pleasure in them.”2 Remember your Creator before the sun, the light, the moon,and the stars turn dark, and the clouds come back with rain.3 Remember your Creator when those who guard the house tremble,strong men are stooped over,the women at the mill stop grindingbecause there are so few of them,and those who look out of the windowssee a dim light.4 Remember your Creator when the doors to the street are closed,the sound of the mill is muffled,you are startled at the sound of a bird,and those who sing songs become quiet.5 Remember your Creator when someone is afraid of heightsand of dangers along the road,the almond tree blossoms,the grasshopper drags itself along,and the caper bush has no fruit.Mortals go to their eternal rest, and mourners go out in the streets.6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is snapped,the golden bowl is broken,the pitcher is smashed near the spring,and the water wheel is broken at the cistern.7 Then the dust of mortals goes back to the ground as it was before,and the breath of life goes back to God who gave it.8 “Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Everything is pointless!”

Lifelong DutyFear God and Keep His Commands

9 Besides being wise, the spokesman also taught the people what he knew. He very carefully thought about it, studied it, and arranged it in many proverbs.

10 The spokesman tried to find just the right words. He wrote the words of truth very carefully.
11 Words from wise people are like spurs. Their collected sayings are like nails that have been driven in firmly. They come from one shepherd.12 Be warned, my children, against anything more than these. People never stop writing books. Too much studying will wear out your body.13 After having heard it all, this is the conclusion: Fear God, and keep his commands, because this applies to everyone.

14 God will certainly judge everything that is done. This includes every secret thing, whether it is good or bad.

Ecclesiastes 12

Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly

1 So remembert your Creator in the days of your youth –
beforet the difficultt days come,
and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

2 before the sun and the lightt of the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds disappeart after the rain;

3 when those who keep watch over the houset begin to tremble,t
and the virile men begin to stoop over,t
and the grinderst begin to cease because they grow few,
and those who look through the windows grow dim,t

4 and the doors along the street are shut;
when the sound of the grinding millt grows low,
and one is awakenedt by the sound of a bird,
and all theirt songst grow faint,t

5 and they are afraid of heights and the dangerst in the street;
the almond blossomst grow white,t
and the grasshoppert drags itself along,t
and the caper berryt shrivels upst –
because man goes to his eternal home,t
and the mourners go about in the streets –

6 before the silver cord is removed,
or the golden bowl is broken,
or the pitcher is shattered at the well,t
or the water wheelt is broken at the cistern –

7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was,
and the life’s breatht returns to God who gave it.

Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis

8 “Absolutely futile!”t laments the Teacher,t
“All of these thingst are futile!”ts

Concluding Epilogue: Qoheleth’s Advice is Wise

9 Not only was the Teacher wise,s
but he also taught knowledge to the people;
he carefully evaluatedt and arrangedt many proverbs.

10 The Teacher sought to find delightfult words,
and to writes accurately truthful sayings.t

11 The words of the sages are like prods,t
and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails;
they are given by one shepherd.

Concluding Exhortation: Fear God and Obey His Commands!

12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.s
There is no end to the makingt of many books,
and much study is exhausting to the body.t

13 Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion:t
Fear God and keep his commandments,
because this is the whole dutyt of man.

14 For God will evaluate every deed,t
including every secret thing, whether good or evil.