Ecclesiastes 12:7-14

English Standard Version

⁷and ^(A)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and ^(B)the spirit returns to God ^(C)who gave it. ⁸^(D)Vanity^[a] of vanities, says ^(E)the Preacher; all is vanity.

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

⁹Besides being wise, ^(F)the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging ^(G)many proverbs with great care. ¹⁰^(H)The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

¹¹^(I)The words of the wise are like goads, and like ^(J)nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are ^(K)given by ^(L)one Shepherd. ¹²My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making ^(M)many books there is no end, and ^(N)much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³The end of the matter; all has been heard. ^(O)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.^[b] ¹⁴For ^(P)God will bring every deed into judgment, with^[c] every secret thing, whether good or evil.

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Footnotes

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
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Or the duty of all mankind
Ecclesiastes 12:14 Or into the judgment on