Ecclesiastes 12 — The Holy Bible

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,

Before the difficult days come

And the years arrive when you say,

“I have no will to face them”:

While the sun and the light,

The moon and the stars

Are not darkened,

And the clouds do not return after the rain;

In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,

And the men of strength are led astray;

When the women who grind the grain become idle

Because they are few;

When the women who look out the windows

Will remain in darkness;

When the doors are shut in the marketplace,

And the sound of grinding is low;

When one rises up at the sound of a sparrow,

And all the daughters of song are brought low.

Also they will look from the height,

And there are terrors in the way;

When the almond tree blossoms,

The grasshopper grows fat,

And the caper plant is scattered.

For man goes to his eternal home,

And the mourners go about the marketplace.

Remember your Creator until the silver cord is removed,

And the golden flower is pressed together,

And the pitcher is shattered at the fountain,

And the wheel runs together at the well;

Then the dust returns to the earth as it was,

And the spirit returns to God who gave it.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,

“All is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 12, verse 9. Because the Preacher was wise more than others, he taught the people knowledge; and the ear will search out his well-ordered proverbs. Ecclesiastes 12, verse 10. The Preacher sought diligently to find desirable words, and what was written is upright; they are words of truth.

Ecclesiastes 12, verse 11. The words of the wise are like pointed sticks, like nails firmly fastened; they are given from the collections and abound from them by one Shepherd. Ecclesiastes 12, verse 12. Moreover, my son, guard yourself, for there is no end to the making of many books, and much study is weariness of the flesh.

Ecclesiastes 12, verse 13. Hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God

And keep His commandments,

For this is the whole man.

For God will bring every work into judgment,

Including everything that has been overlooked,

Whether it be good or evil.