New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 12:1
1Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”:
Ecclesiastes 12:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
- New International Version (NIV)Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—
- English Standard Version (ESV)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";
- New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”
Context of Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”: 2While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain; 3In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim;
Read all of Ecclesiastes 12Ecclesiastes 12:1 word by word
וּזְכֹר֙ אֶת־בּ֣וֹרְאֶ֔יךָ בִּימֵ֖י בְּחוּרֹתֶ֑יךָ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ יְמֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ה וְהִגִּ֣יעוּ שָׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמַ֔ר אֵֽין־לִ֥י בָהֶ֖ם חֵֽפֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Rememberזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- now thy Creatorבָּרָאbârâ' · to createH1254
- in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of thy youthבְּחוּרִיםbechûrôth bechûrôth bechûrîym · youthH979
- while the evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- not, nor the yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- draw nighנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- when thou shalt sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I have no pleasureחֵ֫פֶץchêphets · pleasureH2656
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:1
- Ecclesiastes 11:10Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, For childhood and youth are vanity.
- Genesis 39:2The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
- 1 Samuel 1:28Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.
- 1 Samuel 2:18But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.
- 1 Samuel 3:19So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- 1 Samuel 17:36Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”
- 1 Kings 3:6And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
- 1 Kings 14:13And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
- 1 Kings 18:12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.
- 2 Chronicles 34:2And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- Psalms 22:9But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
- Psalms 34:11Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
- Psalms 71:17O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
- Proverbs 8:17I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.
- Proverbs 22:6Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Remember thy Creator - בוראיך Boreeycha, thy Creators. The word is most certainly in the plural number in all our common Hebrew Bibles; but it is in the singular number, בוראך Borecha, in one hundred and seventy-six of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., and ninety-six of De Rossi's; in many ancient editions; and in all the ancient versions. There is no dependence on the plural form in most of the modern editions; though there are some editions of great worth which…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Remember now - Rather, And remember. The connection between this verse and the preceding one is unfortunately interrupted by our division of chapters. Creator - Gratitude to God as Creator is here inculcated, as just previously Ecclesiastes 11:9 fear of God as Judge. Godliness, acquired as a habit in youth, is recommended as the proper compensation for that natural cessation of youthful happiness which makes the days of old age more or less evil; more…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1A description of the infirmities of age. (Eccl. 12:1-7) All is vanity: also a warning of the judgment to come. (Eccl. 12:8-14) Verses 1-7 We should remember our sins against our Creator, repent, and seek forgiveness. We should remember our duties, and set about them, looking to him for grace and strength. This should be done early, while the body is strong, and the spirits active. When a man has the pain of reviewing a misspent life, his not having given…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2Remember your Creator: Reverence for God can provide wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) and guidance on what is beneficial in life and pleasing to God at judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14). It is better to remember God when young, as wisdom can greatly impact life's outcomes.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-14Ec 12:1-14. 1. As Ec 11:9, 10 showed what youths are to shun, so this verse shows what they are to follow. Creator--"Remember" that thou art not thine own, but God's property; for He has created thee (Psa 100:3). Therefore serve Him with thy "all" (Mr 12:30), and with thy best days, not with the dregs of them (Pr 8:17; 22:6; Jr 3:4; La 3:27). The Hebrew is "Creators," plural, implying the plurality of persons, as in Ge 1:26; so Hebrew, "Makers" (Is 54:5)…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 12:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries