Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

English Standard Version

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

⁹ Besides being wise, ^(A)the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging ^(B)many proverbs with great care. ^10 (C)The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

^11 (D)The words of the wise are like goads, and like ^(E)nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are ^(F)given by ^(G)one Shepherd. ¹² My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making ^(H)many books there is no end, and ^(I)much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³ The end of the matter; all has been heard. ^(J)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.^{[a] 14} For ^(K)God will bring every deed into judgment, with^[b] every secret thing, whether good or evil.