Ecclesiastes 12

New American Standard Bible

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.