Ecclesiastes 12
English Standard Version
Remember Your Creator in Your Youth
12 Remember also your Creator in (A)the days of your youth, before (B)the evil days come and the years draw near of which (C)you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before (D)the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and (E)those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and (F)the doors on the street are shut—when (G)the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all (H)the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and (I)terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,[a] and desire fails, because man is going to his (J)eternal (K)home, and the (L)mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or (M)the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is (N)shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and (O)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and (P)the spirit returns to God (Q)who gave it. 8 (R)Vanity[b] of vanities, says (S)the Preacher; all is vanity.
Fear God and Keep His Commandments
9 Besides being wise, (T)the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging (U)many proverbs with great care. 10 (V)The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11 (W)The words of the wise are like goads, and like (X)nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are (Y)given by (Z)one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making (AA)many books there is no end, and (AB)much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. (AC)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.[c] 14 For (AD)God will bring every deed into judgment, with[d] every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:5 Or is a burden
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (three times in this verse); see note on 1:2
- Ecclesiastes 12:13 Or the duty of all mankind
- Ecclesiastes 12:14 Or into the judgment on
Eclesiastés 12
Palabra de Dios para Todos
12 Acuérdate de tu Creador
cuando todavía eres joven,
antes que lleguen los malos tiempos
y te aflija la vejez;
así no tendrás que decir:
«Ya no le encuentro gusto a la vida».
2 Ten siempre presente a tu Creador
antes de que el sol, la luna
y las estrellas se oscurezcan,
y vuelvan las nubes oscuras después de la lluvia.
3 Cuando te llegue esa época,
tus brazos perderán la fuerza;
tus piernas se debilitarán y se doblarán;
se te caerán los dientes
y no podrás morder bien la comida;
y tu visión será borrosa.
4 No oirás bien,
no escucharás el ruido en las calles,
ni siquiera el de la piedra que muele tu trigo.
No oirás cantar a las mujeres,
pero el canto de un pájaro
te despertará en la madrugada
porque no podrás dormir.
5 Temerás a las alturas
y a tropezar con algo en el camino.
Tu cabello se volverá blanco
como las flores de un árbol de almendro.
Te arrastrarás como un saltamontes cuando camines.
Perderás el deseo de vivir.[a]
Luego irás a tu hogar eterno
y los dolientes[b] se reunirán en las calles para llevarte a enterrar.
6 Acuérdate de tu Creador
antes de que se rompan las cuerdas de plata,
y se quiebre la copa de oro,
y se rompa el cántaro contra la fuente,
y se despedace la polea del pozo.
7 Tu cuerpo vino de la tierra,
y cuando mueras, regresará a la tierra.
Pero tu espíritu vino de Dios
y cuando mueras, regresará a Dios.
8 El Maestro dice: «Nada tiene sentido,
nada en absoluto tiene sentido».
Conclusión
9 El Maestro fue muy sabio y usó su inteligencia para educar a la gente. Estudió y preparó[c] cuidadosamente gran cantidad de sabias enseñanzas. 10 Se esforzó mucho para encontrar las palabras correctas y escribió sus enseñanzas con honestidad y sin engaño.
11 Las palabras de los sabios son como aguijones, y las colecciones de dichos son como varas puntiagudas, dadas por un solo pastor. 12 Así que, hijo, estudia estas enseñanzas, pero ten cuidado con otros libros. La gente siempre escribe libros y demasiado estudio te cansará.
13 Ahora bien, ¿qué enseñanza se puede sacar de este libro[d] cuando todo ya está dicho? Que lo mejor que un ser humano puede hacer es tener temor de Dios y obedecer sus mandatos. 14 Dios conoce todo lo que hace la gente, lo bueno y lo malo, hasta lo más secreto; y él será quien juzgue.
Footnotes
- 12:5 deseo de vivir o apetito o deseo sexual. El hebreo es oscuro.
- 12:5 dolientes Personas que lloran en un funeral. En los tiempos bíblicos había dolientes profesionales que se contrataban para mostrar gran tristeza en los funerales.
- 12:9 preparó Esta palabra hebrea significa enderezar, arreglar, corregir o revisar.
- 12:13 Ahora bien […] libro Textualmente La conclusión del asunto, una vez oído todo, es: …
Ecclesiastes 12
King James Version
12 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Ecclesiastes 12
New King James Version
Seek God in Early Life
12 Remember(A) now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the [a]difficult days come,
And the years draw near (B)when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:
2 While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;
4 When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all (C)the daughters of music are brought low.
5 Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to (D)his eternal home,
And (E)the mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is [b]loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
7 (F)Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
(G)And the spirit will return to God (H)who gave it.
8 “Vanity(I) of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“All is vanity.”
The Whole Duty of Man
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and (J)set[c] in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find [d]acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of [e]scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. 12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and (K)much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
(L)Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For (M)God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:1 Lit. evil
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt. removed; LXX, Vg. broken
- Ecclesiastes 12:9 arranged
- Ecclesiastes 12:10 Lit. delightful
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Lit. masters of assemblies
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
© 2005, 2015 Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
