Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8

English Standard Version

⁷ Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to ^(A)see the sun.

⁸ So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember ^(B)that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is ^(C)vanity.^[a]

^9 (D)Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. ^(E)Walk in the ways of your heart and ^(F)the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things ^(G)God will bring you into judgment.

¹⁰ Remove vexation from your heart, and ^(H)put away pain^[b] from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Remember Your Creator in Your Youth

12 Remember also your Creator in ^(I)the days of your youth, before ^(J)the evil days come and the years draw near of which ^(K)you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; ² before ^(L)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 ^(M)those who look through the windows are dimmed, ⁴ and ^(N)the doors on the street are shut—when ^(O)the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all ^(P)the daughters of song are brought low— ⁵ they are afraid also of what is high, and ^(Q)terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,^[c] and desire fails, because man is going to his ^(R)eternal ^(S)home, and the ^(T)mourners go about the streets— ⁶ before the silver cord is snapped, or ^(U)the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is ^(V)shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, ⁷ and ^(W)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and ^(X)the spirit returns to God ^(Y)who gave it. ^8 (Z)Vanity^[d] of vanities, says ^(AA)the Preacher; all is vanity.