Ecclesiastes 12

Remember God in Your Youth

11RememberH2142 also your CreatorH1254 in the daysH3117 of your youthH979, beforeH5704H834H3808 the 2evilH7463 daysH3117 comeH935 and the yearsH8141 drawH5060 nearH5060 whenH834 you will sayH559, “I haveH369 noH369 delightH2656 in them”; 2beforeH5704H834H3808 the 3sunH8121 and the lightH216, the moonH3394 and the starsH3556 are darkenedH2821, and cloudsH5645 returnH7725 afterH310 the rainH1653; 3in the dayH3117 that the watchmenH8104 of the houseH1004 trembleH2111, and mightyH2428 menH376 4stoopH5791, the grindingH2912 ones standH988 idleH988 becauseH3588 they are fewH4591, and 5those who lookH7200 through 6windowsH699 growH2821 dimH2821; 4and the doorsH1817 on the streetH7784 are shutH5462 as the 7soundH6963 of the grindingH2913 millH2913 is lowH8217, and one will ariseH6965 at the soundH6963 of the birdH6833, and allH3605 the 8daughtersH1323 of songH7892 will 9singH7817 softlyH7817. 5FurthermoreH1571, 10men are afraidH3372 of a highH1364 place and of terrorsH2849 on the roadH1870; the almondH8247 treeH8247 blossomsH5340, the grasshopperH2284 dragsH5445 himself along, and the caperberryH35 is ineffectiveH6565. For manH120 goesH1980 to his eternalH5769 11homeH1004 while 12mournersH5594 goH5437 aboutH5437 in the streetH7784. 6Remember Him beforeH5704H834H3808 the silverH3701 cordH2256 is 13brokenH7576 and the 14goldenH2091 bowlH1543 is crushedH7533, the pitcherH3537 by the wellH4002 is shatteredH7665 and the wheelH1534 at the cisternH953 is crushedH7533; 7then the 15dustH6083 will returnH7725 to the earthH776 as it was, and the 1617spiritH7307 will returnH7725 to 18GodH430 whoH834 gaveH5414 it. 8“19VanityH1892 of vanitiesH1892,” saysH559 the PreacherH6953, “allH3605 is vanityH1892!”

Purpose of the Preacher

9In additionH3148 to beingH1961 a wiseH2450 manH2450, the PreacherH6953 alsoH5750 taughtH3925 the peopleH5971 knowledgeH1847; and he ponderedH239, searchedH2713 out and arrangedH8626 20manyH7235 proverbsH4912. 10The PreacherH6953 soughtH1245 to findH4672 21delightfulH2656 wordsH1697 and to writeH3789 22wordsH1697 of truthH571 correctlyH3476.

11The 23wordsH1697 of wiseH2450 menH2450 are like 24goadsH1861, and mastersH1167 of these collectionsH627 are like 25well-drivenH5193 26nailsH4548; they are givenH5414 by oneH259 ShepherdH7462. 12But beyondH3148 thisH1992, my sonH1121, be warnedH2094: the 27writingH6213 of 28manyH7235 booksH5612 is endlessH7093H369, and excessiveH3854 29devotionH3854 to books is wearyingH3024 to the bodyH1320.

13The conclusionH5490H1697, when allH3605 has been heardH8085, is: 30fearH3372 GodH430 and 31keepH8104 His commandmentsH4687, becauseH3588 thisH2088 applies to 32everyH3605 personH120. 14For 33GodH430 will bringH935 everyH3605 actH4639 to judgmentH4941, everythingH3605 which is hiddenH5956, whetherH518 it is goodH2896 or evilH7451.