< Ecclesiastes 12 >
1 Also call to mind your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of difficulty come, and before the years arrive when you say, “I have no pleasure in them,”
And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [you] in which you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.
2 do this before the light of the sun and the moon and the stars grows dark, and dark 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 That will be the time when the palace guards will tremble, and strong men are bent over, and the women who grind cease because they are few, and those who look out of windows no longer see clearly.
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 That will be the time when the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of grinding stops, when men are startled at the voice of a bird, and the singing of girls' voices fades away.
and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, 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 That will be the time when men become afraid of heights and of dangers along on the road, and when the almond tree blossoms, and when grasshoppers drag themselves along, and when natural desires fail. Then man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go down 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 Call to mind your Creator before the silver cord is cut, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the water wheel is broken at the well,
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 before the dust returns to the earth where it came from, and the spirit returns to 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 “A mist of vapor,” says the Teacher, “everything is vanishing vapor.”
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.
9 The Teacher was wise and he taught the people knowledge. He studied and contemplated 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 Teacher sought to write using vivid, upright words of truth.
The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.
11 The words of wise people are like goads. Like nails driven deeply are the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs, which are taught by 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 My son, be aware of something more: the making of many books, which has no end and much study brings weariness to the body.
And moreover, my son, guard yourself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter after everything has been heard, is that you must fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind.
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 every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.