Ecclesiastes 12
1 Yet remember thy Creator, in the days of thy vigour, —or ever come in, the days of discomfort, and the years arrive, in which thou shalt say—I have, in them, no pleasure;
Remember, also, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
2 Or ever be darkened—the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, —and the clouds return after a downpour of rain;
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars become dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the men of might bow themselves, —and the grinders cease because they are few, and they who look through the windows are darkened;
at the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened;
4 And the doors in the street be closed, when the sound of the mill become low, —and one rise at the chirp of a small bird, and low-voiced be all the daughters of song;
when the doors are shut in the streets, while the sound of the mill is low; when they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low;
5 Yea, at what is high, they be in fear, and there be, terrors, in the way, and the almond be rejected, and the grasshopper drag itself along, and desire perish, —for man is going to his age-abiding home, when the wailers shall go round in the streets;
when also they are afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, and the caper-berry is powerless; since man goeth to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; —
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, —or the bucket by the fountain be shivered, or the wheel at the well be broken;
before the silver cord be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be crushed, or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the wheel shattered at the well,
7 And the dust return to the earth, as it was, —and, the spirit, return unto God, who gave it.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Proclaimer, all, is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity!
9 Besides that, the Proclaimer being wise, —still further taught knowledge unto the people, and weighed and searched, arranged proverbs in abundance.
Moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he considered, and sought out, and set in order, many proverbs.
10 The Proclaimer sought to find out words giving delight, and to note down rightly, the words of truth.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and to write correctly words of truth.
11 The words of the wise, are as goads, yea, as driven nails, their well-ordered sayings, —given from one shepherd.
The words of the wise are as goads; yea, as nails driven in are the words of members of assemblies, given by one shepherd.
12 And besides, from them, my son, be admonished, —Of making many books, there is no end, and, much study, is a weariness of the flesh.
And, moreover, by these, my son, be warned! To the multiplying of books there is no end, and much study wearieth the flesh.
13 The conclusion of the matter—the whole, let us hear, —Towards God, be reverent, and, his commandments, observe, for, this, [concerneth] all mankind.
Let us hear the end of the whole discourse! Fear God and keep his commandments! For this is the duty of every man.
14 For, every work, will God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, —whether good, or evil.
For God will bring every work into the judgment which there is upon every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
