Ecclesiastes 12
English Standard Version
Remember Your Creator in Your Youth
12 Remember also your Creator in (A)the days of your youth, before (B)the evil days come and the years draw near of which (C)you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before (D)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 (E)those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and (F)the doors on the street are shut—when (G)the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all (H)the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and (I)terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,[a] and desire fails, because man is going to his (J)eternal (K)home, and the (L)mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or (M)the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is (N)shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and (O)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and (P)the spirit returns to God (Q)who gave it. 8 (R)Vanity[b] of vanities, says (S)the Preacher; all is vanity.
Fear God and Keep His Commandments
9 Besides being wise, (T)the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging (U)many proverbs with great care. 10 (V)The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11 (W)The words of the wise are like goads, and like (X)nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are (Y)given by (Z)one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making (AA)many books there is no end, and (AB)much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. (AC)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.[c] 14 For (AD)God will bring every deed into judgment, with[d] every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Footnotes
- 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
- Ecclesiastes 12:13 Or the duty of all mankind
- Ecclesiastes 12:14 Or into the judgment on
Ecclesiastes 12
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
12 Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with[a] the rain; 3 on the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly; 4 when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; 5 when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along[b] and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets; 6 before the silver cord is snapped,[c] and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath[d] returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher;[e] all is vanity.
Epilogue
9 Besides being wise, the Teacher[f] also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs. 10 The Teacher[g] sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.
11 The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd.[h] 12 Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgement, including[i] every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:2 Or after; Heb ‘ahar
- Ecclesiastes 12:5 Or is a burden
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 Syr Vg Compare Gk: Heb is removed
- Ecclesiastes 12:7 Or the spirit
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher
- Ecclesiastes 12:9 Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher
- Ecclesiastes 12:10 Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- Ecclesiastes 12:14 Or into the judgement on
Eclesiastés 12
Reina Valera Actualizada
12 Acuérdate de tu Creador en los días de tu juventud:
antes que vengan los días malos,
y lleguen los años de los cuales digas: “No tengo en ellos contentamiento”;
2 antes que se oscurezcan el sol y la luz
de la luna y de las estrellas, y las nubes vuelvan tras la lluvia;
3 cuando tiemblen los guardias de la casa y se dobleguen los hombres valerosos; cuando estén inactivas las muelas, por quedar pocas, y se oscurezcan los que miran por las ventanas;
4 cuando se cierren las puertas de la calle y se debilite el ruido del molino; cuando uno se levante ante el gorjeo de un pajarito y todas las hijas del cantosean abatidas;
5 cuando también se tenga miedo de la
altura y haya horrores en el camino; cuando florezca el almendro, la langosta se arrastre pesadamente
y se pierda el deseo.
Es que el hombre se va a su morada eterna, y los que hacen duelo rondan
alrededor de la plaza.
6 Acuérdate de él
antes que se rompa el cordón de plata y se destroce el tazón de oro;
antes que el cántaro se quiebre junto
al manantial, y la rueda se rompa sobre el pozo.
7 Es que el polvo vuelve a la tierra, como era; y el espíritu vuelve a Dios, quien lo dio.
8 “Vanidad de vanidades”, dijo el Predicador[a]; “todo es vanidad”.
Conclusión del discurso
9 Y cuanto más sabio fue el Predicador[b], tanto más enseñó sabiduría al pueblo. También sopesó, investigó y compuso muchos proverbios. 10 El Predicador[c] procuró hallar palabras agradables y escribir correctamente palabras de verdad.
11 Las palabras de los sabios son como aguijones, y como clavos hincados son las palabras que forman parte de una colección y que son expuestas por un Pastor.
12 Además de esto, hijo mío, queda advertido: El hacer muchos libros es algo sin fin, y el mucho estudio fatiga el cuerpo.
13 La conclusión de todo el discurso oído es esta: Teme a Dios y guarda sus mandamientos, pues esto es el todo del hombre. 14 Porque Dios traerá a juicio toda acción junto con todo lo escondido, sea bueno o sea malo.
Footnotes
- Eclesiastés 12:8 Según vers. antiguas; heb., la insensatez.
- Eclesiastés 12:9 Según prop. Stutt.; heb., conocimiento.
- Eclesiastés 12:10 10 Heb., Qohelet, uno que congrega al pueblo para instruirlo.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Version Reina Valera Actualizada, Copyright © 2015 by Editorial Mundo Hispano