Ecclesiastes 12

1 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 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 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 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 yes, they shall be afraid of heights,
and terrors will be in the way;
and the almond tree shall blossom,
and the grasshopper shall be a burden,
and desire shall fail;
because man goes to his everlasting home,
and the mourners go about the streets:
6 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.
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher.
“All is vanity!”
9 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 acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.11 The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 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 God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

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.