Ecclesiastes 12

Remember Your Creator in Your Youth

1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the trouble comes and years hit when you say, “I do not enjoy life anymore.”

2 Before the sun and light and moon and stars grow dim, and the clouds return after the rain.

3 When the keepers of the house tremble, the strong men stoop, the grinders stop because they few, and those who look through windows grow dim.

4 When the doors to the street close, the sound of grinding fades, people wake at the sound of birds, but all songs grow faint.

5 People afraid of heights and dangers in the street; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, desire fades, then people go to their eternal home, and mourners walk the streets.

6 Before the silver cord snaps, the golden bowl breaks, the pitcher shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well.

7 Then the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8 “Meaningless, meaningless,” says the Teacher. “Everything meaningless.”

The Teacher’s Final Words

9 Not only was the Teacher wise, he taught knowledge to the people; he listened, studied, and arranged many proverbs.

10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words, and what he wrote was honest and true.

11 The words of the wise like goads, their collected sayings like firmly driven nails, given by one Shepherd.

12 Be warned, my son, there is no end to making many books, and much study wears you out.

The Conclusion of the Matter

13 Now here is the bottom line: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.