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 also your Creator in days of your youth, While that the evil days do not come, Nor the years have arrived, that you 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;
While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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 that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] rises at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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 of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper has become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going to his perpetual home, And the mourners have gone around through the street.
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;
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
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 returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [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 further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out—he made right many allegories.
10 The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and [that] written [by] the upright—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.
Words of the wise [are] as the goads, and as nails planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by 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 further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many scrolls has 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 whole matter let us hear: “Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
14 God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.
For every work God brings into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.”
