Ecclesiastes 12

1 But remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youthful vigor, while the evil days are not yet come, nor those years draw nigh of which thou wilt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw near, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are not yet darkened, and the clouds return not again after the rain;

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 On the day when the watchmen of the house will tremble and the men of might will bend themselves, and the grinders stand idle, because they are become few, and those be darkened that look through the windows;

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 of the windows be darkened,

4 And when the two doors on the streets will be locked, while the sound of the mill becometh dull, and man riseth up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 Also when men will be afraid of every elevation, and are terrified on every way, and the almond-tree will refuse [its blossom], and the locust will drag itself slowly along, and the desire will gainsay compliance; because man goeth to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets;

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 While the silver cord is not yet torn loose, and the golden bowl is not crushed, and the pitcher is not broken at the fountain, and the wheel is not crushed at the cistern;

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 When the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return unto God who gave it.—

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth: all is vanity.—

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.

9 And in addition to this that Koheleth was wise, he continually also taught the people knowledge, and he probed, and searched out, and composed many proverbs.

And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 Koheleth sought to find out acceptable words, and that which would be written down uprightly, even words of truth.

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails fastened [are the words of] the men of the assemblies, which are given by one shepherd.

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 But more than all these, my son, take warning for thyself: the making of many books would have no end; and much preaching is a weariness of the flesh.

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

13 The end of the matter is, let us hear the whole: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty of] man.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For every deed will God bring into the judgment concerning every thing that hath been hidden, whether it be good, or whether it be bad.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.