Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, and the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not:

And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [thee] in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

2 Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars be 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 When the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall stagger, and the grinders shall be idle in a small number, and they that look through the holes shall be darkened:

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 And they shall shut the doors in the street, when the grinder’s voice shall be low, and they shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall grow deaf.

and they shall shut the doors in the market-place, 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 And they shall fear high things, and they shall be afraid in the way, the almond tree shall flourish, the locust shall be made fat, and the caper tree shall be destroyed: because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall go round about in the street.

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 Before the silver cord be broken, and the golden fillet shrink back, and the pitcher be crushed at the fountain, and the wheel be broken upon the cistern,

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 And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return 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 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.

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

9 And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and declared the things that he had done: and seeking out, he set forth many parables.

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 He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full 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 as goads, and as nails deeply fastened in, which by the counsel of masters are given from one shepherd.

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

12 More than these, my son, require not. Of making many books there is no end: and much study is an affliction of the flesh.

And moreover, my son, guard thyself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Let us all hear together the conclusion of the discourse. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is all man:

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

14 And all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for every error, whether it be good or evil.

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