Ecclesiastes 12
1 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;
Remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say: 'I have no pleasure in them';
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;
Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 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;
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 that look out shall be darkened in the windows,
4 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;
And the doors shall be shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding is low; and one shall start up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
5 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;
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall drag itself along, and the caperberry shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets;
6 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;
Before the silver cord is snapped asunder, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel falleth shattered, into the pit;
7 And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
8 All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; all is vanity.
9 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.
And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd.
12 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.
And 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 last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man.
14 God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.
For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
