Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, or ever the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have 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 or ever 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 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,

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 door shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise 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 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 yea, 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 be a burden, and the caper-berry shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

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 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;

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 to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto 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, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

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

9 And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.

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 find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, [even] words 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 well fastened are [the words of] the masters of assemblies, [which] 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 And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness 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 [This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] 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 shall bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

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