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Ecclesiastes 12
Expanded Bible
Ecclesiastes 12
Expanded Bible
The Problems of Old Age
12 Remember your ·Creator [or health]
·while you are young [L in the days of your youth],
before the days of ·trouble [evil] come
and the years when you say,
“I find no ·pleasure [delight] in them.”
2 When you get old,
the light from the sun, moon, and stars will grow dark,
and the rain clouds ·will never seem to go away [L return after the rain].
3 At that time ·your arms [L the guards of the house] will shake
and ·your legs [L the landowners] will ·become weak [bend].
·Your teeth will fall out so you cannot chew [L The grinders cease because they are few; C women who grind grain],
and ·your eyes will not see clearly [L those who look through the windows grow dim; C another group of women].
4 ·Your ears will be deaf to the noise [L The doors are shut] in the streets,
and ·you will barely hear the millstone grinding grain [L the sound of grinding decreases].
·You’ll wake up when a bird starts singing [L One rises at the sound of a bird],
·but you will barely hear singing [L and the daughters of song are brought low].
5 ·You [L They] will fear high places
and ·will be afraid to go for a walk [L the terrors of the street].
·Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree [L The almond tree blossoms].
·You will limp along like a grasshopper when you walk [L The grasshopper drags itself along].
Your ·appetite [or sexual desire] will be gone.
Then ·you will [L people] go to ·your [L their] everlasting home [C the grave],
and ·people will go to your funeral [L mourners walk around in the street].
6 Soon ·your life will snap like a silver chain [L the silver thread will be snapped]
·or break like a golden bowl [L and the golden bowl will be crushed].
·You will be like a broken pitcher at a spring [L The jar will be broken by the well],
·or a broken wheel at a well [L and the wheel crushed by the cistern; C metaphors of death].
7 ·You will turn back into the dust of the earth again [L The dust will return to the earth as it was],
·but your [L and the] spirit will return to God who gave it [3:21; Gen. 2:7; 3:19].
8 Everything is useless [1:2]!
The ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1] says that everything is useless [1:2].
Conclusion: Honor God
9 The ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1] was ·wise [a wise man/sage] and taught the people ·what he knew [L knowledge]. He ·very carefully thought about [L heard], ·studied [investigated], and set in order many ·wise teachings [L proverbs]. 10 The ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1] ·looked for just the right words [L sought to find words of delight] and to write what is ·dependable [honest] and true.
11 Words from wise people are like ·sharp sticks used to guide animals [goads]. They are like nails that have been driven in firmly. Altogether they are wise teachings that come from ·one Shepherd [or a shepherd]. 12 So be ·careful [warned], my son. ·People are always writing [There is no end to the making of many] books, and too much study ·will make you tired [wearies the body].
13 Now, the end of the matter; everything has been heard:
·Honor [Fear] God [Prov. 1:7] and obey his commands,
because this is ·all people must do [L the whole duty of humanity].
14 God will ·judge everything [L bring every deed into judgment],
even ·what is done in secret [every hidden thing],
the good and the evil.
Ecclesiastes 12
Amplified Bible
Ecclesiastes 12
Amplified Bible
Remember God in Your Youth
12 Remember [thoughtfully] also your Creator in the days of your youth [for you are not your own, but His], before the evil days come or the years draw near when you will say [of physical pleasures], “I have no enjoyment and delight in them”;(A) 2 before the sun and the light, and the moon and the stars are darkened [by impaired vision], and the clouds [of depression] return after the rain [of tears]; 3 in the day when the keepers of the house (hands, arms) tremble, and the strong men (feet, knees) bow themselves, and the grinders (molar teeth) cease because they are few, and those (eyes) who look through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors (lips) are shut in the streets and the sound of the grinding [of the teeth] is low, and one rises at the sound of a bird and the crowing of a rooster, and all the daughters of music (voice, ears) sing softly. 5 Furthermore, they are afraid of a high place and of dangers on the road; the almond tree (hair) blossoms [white], and the grasshopper (a little thing) is a burden, and the [a]caperberry (desire, appetite) fails. For man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go about the streets and market places.(B) 6 Earnestly remember your Creator before the silver cord [of life] is broken, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher at the fountain is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. 8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity (futility).”(C)
Purpose of the Preacher
9 Furthermore, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered and searched out and arranged many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find delightful words, even to write correctly words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like [prodding] goads, and these collected sayings are [firmly fixed in the mind] like well-driven nails; [b]they are given by one Shepherd.(D) 12 But beyond this my son, [about going further than the words given by one Shepherd], be warned: the writing of many books is endless [so do not believe everything you read], and excessive study and devotion to books is wearying to the body.
13 When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, every hidden and secret thing, whether it is good or evil.(E)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:5 This is an actual bush that grows in the region of the Mediterranean Sea. It is used in various condiments. In this verse some think it refers to loss of taste in old age, others to sexual desire (taking the fruit as an aphrodisiac), but which is not clear.
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 This verse establishes the divine inspiration of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 12
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 12
New International Version
12 Remember(A) your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(B) 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 people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;(C)
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home(D)
and mourners(E) go about the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns(F) to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God(G) who gave it.(H)
The Conclusion of the Matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.(K) 10 The Teacher(L) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.(M)
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(N)—given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.(O)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd
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