Ecclesiastes 12

 12 Remember^b your Creator

in the days of your youth,

before the days of trouble^c come

and the years approach when you will say,

“I find no pleasure in them”—

² before the sun and the light

and the moon and the stars grow dark,

and the clouds return after the rain;

³ when the keepers of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

when the grinders cease because they are few,

and those looking through the windows grow dim;

⁴ when the doors to the street are closed

and the sound of grinding fades;

when people rise up at the sound of birds,

but all their songs grow faint;^d

⁵ when people are afraid of heights

and of dangers in the streets;

when the almond tree blossoms

and the grasshopper drags itself along

and desire no longer is stirred.

Then people go to their eternal home^e

and mourners^f go about the streets.

⁶ Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,

and the golden bowl is broken;

before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,

and the wheel broken at the well,

⁷ and the dust returns^g to the ground it came from,

and the spirit returns to God^h who gave it.ⁱ

⁸ “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.^a j

“Everything is meaningless!^k”

The Conclusion of the Matter

⁹ Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.^{l 10} The Teacher^m searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.ⁿ

¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails^o—given by one shepherd.^{b 12} Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.^p

¹³ Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God^q and keep his commandments,^r

for this is the duty of all mankind.^s

¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,^t

including every hidden thing,^u

whether it is good or evil. ^[1]

 

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^b Ecc 11:8

^c See 2 Sa 19:35

^d Jer 25:10

^e See Job 10:21

^f Jer 9:17; Am 5:16

^g See Ge 2:7; See Ps 146:4

^h Ecc 3:21

ⁱ See Job 20:8

^a Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10

^j Ecc 1:1

^k See Ecc 1:2

^l 1 Ki 4:32

^m See Ecc 1:1

ⁿ Pr 22:20–21

^o See Ezr 9:8; See Job 6:25

^b Or Shepherd

^p See Ecc 1:18

^q See Ex 20:20; See 1 Sa 12:24; See Job 23:15; See Ps 19:9

^r See Dt 4:2

^s See Dt 4:6; See Job 37:24

^t See Job 19:29; See Ecc 3:17

^u See Job 34:21; See Ps 19:12; Jer 16:17; 23:24

^[1] The New International Version. 2011. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.