Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8
New Living Translation
Advice for Young and Old
7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.
8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.
9 Young people,[a] it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.
12 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.
4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.
5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.
6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Concluding Thoughts about the Teacher
8 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”
Notas al pie
- 11:9 Hebrew Young man.
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.
Notas al pie
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verse 10 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Or evil
- Ecclesiastes 12:5 Or is a burden
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (three times in this verse); see note on 1:2
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
