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,”

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.

2 before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,

While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return 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 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;

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,

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;

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 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:

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 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;

7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

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

8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”

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

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

10 The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.

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

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 as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

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 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.

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.

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

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

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