1Remember your Creator. Remember him while you are still young. Think about him before your times of trouble come. The years will come when you will say, ‘I don’t find any pleasure in them.’2That’s when the sunlight will become dark. The moon and the stars will also grow dark. And the clouds will return after it rains.3Remember your Creator before those who guard the house tremble with old age. That’s when strong men will be bent over. The women who grind corn will stop because there are so few of them left. Those who look through the windows won’t be able to see very well.4Remember your Creator before the front doors are closed. That’s when the sound of grinding will fade away. Old people will rise up when they hear birds singing. But they will barely hear any of their songs.5Remember your Creator before you become afraid of places that are too high. You will also be terrified because of danger in the streets. Remember your Creator before the almond trees have buds on them. That’s when grasshoppers will drag themselves along. Old people will lose their desire. That’s when people will go to their dark homes in the grave. And those who mourn for the dead will walk around in the streets.6Remember your Creator before the silver cord is cut. Remember him before the golden bowl is broken. The wheel will be broken at the well. The pitcher will be smashed at the spring.7Remember your Creator before you return to the dust you came from. Remember him before your spirit goes back to God who gave it.8‘Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Nothing has any meaning.’
Have respect for God and obey his commandments
9The Teacher was wise. He gave knowledge to people. He tried out many proverbs. He thought about them carefully. Then he wrote them down in order.10He did his best to find just the right words. And what he wrote was honest and true.11The sayings of those who are wise move people to take action. Their collected sayings are like nails pounded in firm and deep. These sayings are given to us by one shepherd.12My son, be careful not to pay attention to anything added to them. Books will never stop being written. Too much studying makes people tired.13Everything has now been heard. And here’s the final thing I want to say. Have respect for God and obey his commandments. This is what he expects of all human beings.14God will judge everything people do. That includes everything they try to hide. He’ll judge everything, whether it’s good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12
English Standard Version
Remember Your Creator in Your Youth
1Remember 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”; (2Sa 19:35; Ec 11:8; La 3:27)2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, (Job 3:9; Isa 5:30; Eze 32:7)3in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, (Ge 27:1; Ge 48:10; 1Sa 3:2)4and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— (Ps 141:3; Ec 2:8; Jer 25:10; Re 18:22)5they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,[1] and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— (2Ch 35:25; Job 17:13; Job 30:23; Ps 143:3; Pr 26:13; Isa 14:18; Jer 9:17; Mt 9:23)6before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, (Isa 30:14; Zec 4:2)7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ge 2:7; Job 34:14; Job 34:15; Ps 90:3; Ps 103:14; Ec 3:20; Ec 3:21; Isa 57:16; Zec 12:1)8Vanity[2] of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. (Ec 1:1; Ec 1:2)
Fear God and Keep His Commandments
9Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. (Pr 1:1; Ec 12:8)10The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. (Ec 12:8)11The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. (Ezr 9:8; Ps 80:1; Pr 1:6; Pr 2:6; Pr 22:17; Isa 22:23; Eze 34:23; Joh 10:11; Joh 10:16)12My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (1Ki 4:32; Ec 1:18)13The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.[3] (De 6:2; De 10:12; Ec 5:7)14For God will bring every deed into judgment, with[4] every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ge 18:25; Job 19:29; Ps 58:11; Ec 3:15; Ec 3:17; Ec 11:9; Mt 12:36; Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16; Ro 14:10; Ro 14:12; 1Co 4:5)