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,”
Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them:
2 before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:
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,
When the keepers of ye house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them selues, and the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out by ye windowes:
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 the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.
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.
Also they shalbe afraide of the hie thing, and feare shalbe in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grassehopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away: for man goeth to the house of his age, and the mourners goe about in the streete.
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,
Whiles the siluer coarde is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheele broken at the cisterne:
7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
And dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.
8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.
10 The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.
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 wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.
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 of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines 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.
Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.
