Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, '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 While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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 that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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 Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
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 While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel 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 And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth 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 Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [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, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
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 pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, words of truth.
The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.
11 Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given 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 And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath 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 The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.
14 For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
