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, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which 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 become dark, 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;
at the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened;
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;
when the doors are shut in the streets, while the sound of the mill is low; when they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are 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;
when also they are afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, and the caper-berry is powerless; since man goeth to his eternal 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 be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be crushed, or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the wheel shattered 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 return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
8 All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; 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.
Moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he considered, 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.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and to write correctly 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; yea, as nails driven in are the words of members of assemblies, 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, moreover, by these, my son, be warned! To the multiplying of books there is no end, and much study wearieth 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.
Let us hear the end of the whole discourse! Fear God and keep his commandments! For this is the duty of every man.
14 God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.
For God will bring every work into the judgment which there is upon every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
