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Ecclesiastes 12
New American Standard Bible 1995
Ecclesiastes 12
New American Standard Bible 1995
Remember God in Your Youth
12 (A)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the (B)evil days come and the years draw near when 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 mighty men (D)stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and (E)those who look through [a]windows grow dim; 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 blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal (H)home while (I)mourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is [d]broken and the (J)golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the (K)dust will return to the earth as it was, and the [e](L)spirit will return to (M)God who gave it. 8 “(N)Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”
Purpose of the Preacher
9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged (O)many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find (P)delightful words and to write (Q)words of truth correctly.
11 The (R)words of wise men are like (S)goads, and masters of these collections are like [f]well-driven (T)nails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the [g]writing of (U)many books is endless, and excessive (V)devotion to books is wearying to the body.
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: (W)fear God and (X)keep His commandments, because this applies to (Y)every person. 14 For (Z)God will bring every act 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 So with Gr; Heb removed
- Ecclesiastes 12:7 Or breath
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Lit planted
- Ecclesiastes 12:12 Lit making
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
New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.