Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 (New International Version)

Ecclesiastes 12

 ¹ Remember your Creator
       in the days of your youth,
       before the days of trouble come
       and the years approach when you will say,
       "I find no pleasure in them"-

 ² before the sun and the light
       and the moon and the stars grow dark,
       and the clouds return after the rain;

 ³ when the keepers of the house tremble,
       and the strong men stoop,
       when the grinders cease because they are few,
       and those looking through the windows grow dim;

 ⁴ when the doors to the street are closed
       and the sound of grinding fades;
       when men rise up at the sound of birds,
       but all their songs grow faint;

 ⁵ when men are afraid of heights
       and of dangers in the streets;
       when the almond tree blossoms
       and the grasshopper drags himself along
       and desire no longer is stirred.
       Then man goes to his eternal home
       and mourners go about the streets.

 ⁶ Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
       or the golden bowl is broken;
       before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
       or the wheel broken at the well,

 ⁷ and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
       and the spirit returns to God who gave it.