Ecclesiastes 12

1 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';

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:

2 Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain:

3 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,

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:

4 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;

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.

5 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;

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.

6 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;

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,

7 And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; all is vanity.

Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.

9 And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

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.

10 Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full of truth.

11 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.

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.

12 And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

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

13 The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man.

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

14 For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

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