Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;
3 on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see;
4 when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
5 when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets;
6 Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;
7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.
10 The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.
12 And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.
13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.
