Ecclesiastes 12
1 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:
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 Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:
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 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:
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 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.
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 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.
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 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:
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 dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.
[before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
8 Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.
9 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.
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 The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.
The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.
11 The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.
12 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.
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 vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.
Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.
14 For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.
For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
