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.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

⁷ But we have this treasure in ^(A)jars of clay, ^(B)to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸ We are ^(C)afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but ^(D)not forsaken; ^(E)struck down, but not destroyed; ^10 (F)always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, ^(G)so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So ^(H)death is at work in us, but life in you.

¹³ Since we have ^(I)the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ^(J)“I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that ^(K)he who raised the Lord Jesus ^(L)will raise us also with Jesus and ^(M)bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵ For ^(N)it is all for your sake, so that as ^(O)grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, ^(P)to the glory of God.

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. ^(Q)Though our outer self^[a] is wasting away, ^(R)our inner self ^(S)is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For ^(T)this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ^18 (U)as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.