Ecclesiastes 12
Legacy Standard Bible
Remember Your Creator in Your Youth
12 (A)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the (B)evil days happen and the years draw near in which you will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2 before the (C)sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and valiant men (D)bend down, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and (E)those who look through [a]windows grow dark; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the (F)sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the (G)daughters of song will [b]sing softly. 5 Furthermore, [c]men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blooms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal (H)home, but the (I)mourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver [d]cord is [e]snapped and the (J)golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the spring is broken and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the (K)dust will return to the earth as it was, and the [f](L)spirit will return to (M)God who gave it. 8 “(N)Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”
Fear God and Keep His Commandments
9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out, and [g]arranged (O)many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find (P)delightful words and (Q)words of truth written uprightly.
11 The (R)words of wise men are like (S)goads, and masters of these collections are like [h]well-driven (T)nails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But in addition to this, my son, be warned: the making of (U)many books is endless, and much (V)devotion to books is wearying to the flesh.
13 The end of the matter, all that has been heard: (W)fear God and (X)keep His commandments, because this is the end of the matter for (Y)all mankind. 14 For (Z)God will bring every work to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:3 Or holes
- Ecclesiastes 12:4 Lit be brought low
- Ecclesiastes 12:5 Lit they
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 Or vanity
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 As in Gr; Heb removed
- Ecclesiastes 12:7 Or breath
- Ecclesiastes 12:9 Lit set straight
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Lit planted
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.
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