Ecclesiastes 12
12
1Remember your Creator when you are young,
before the days of trouble come
and the years catch up with you.
They will make you say,
“I have found no pleasure in them.”
2Remember your Creator before the sun, the light, the moon,
and the stars turn dark, ⌞and⌟ the clouds come back with rain.
3Remember your Creator when those who guard the house tremble,
strong men are stooped over,
the women at the mill stop grinding
because there are so few of them,
⌞and⌟ those who look out of the windows
see a dim light.
4Remember your Creator when the doors to the street are closed,
the sound of the mill is muffled,
you are startled at the sound of a bird,
⌞and⌟ those who sing songs become quiet.
5Remember your Creator when someone is afraid of heights
and of dangers along the road,
the almond tree blossoms,
the grasshopper drags itself along,
⌞and⌟ the caper bush has ⌞no⌟ fruit.
Mortals go to their eternal rest, and mourners go out in the streets.
6Remember your Creator before the silver cord is snapped,
the golden bowl is broken,
the pitcher is smashed near the spring,
and the water wheel is broken at the cistern.
7Then the dust ⌞of mortals⌟ goes back to the ground as it was before,
and the breath of life goes back to God who gave it.
8“Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Everything is pointless!”
Lifelong Duty—Fear God and Keep His Commands
9Besides being wise, the spokesman also taught the people what he knew. He very carefully thought about it, studied it, and arranged it in many proverbs. 10The spokesman tried to find just the right words. He wrote the words of truth very carefully.
11Words from wise people are like spurs. Their collected sayings are like nails that have been driven in firmly. They come from one shepherd. 12Be warned, my children, against anything more than these. People never stop writing books. Too much studying will wear out your body. 13After having heard it all, this is the conclusion: Fear God, and keep his commands, because this applies to everyone. 14God will certainly judge everything that is done. This includes every secret thing, whether it is good or bad.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Ecclesiastes 12
12
1Remember#2 Chr. 34:3; Prov. 22:6; Lam. 3:27 now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near #2 Sam. 19:35when 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;
4When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all #2 Sam. 19:35the daughters of music are brought low.
5Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to #Job 17:13his eternal home,
And #Gen. 50:10; Jer. 9:17the mourners go about the streets.
6Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
7#Gen. 3:19; Job 34:15; Ps. 90:3Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
#Eccl. 3:21And the spirit will return to God #Num. 16:22; 27:16; Job 34:14; Is. 57:16; Zech. 12:1who gave it.
8“Vanity#Ps. 62:9 of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“All is vanity.”
The Whole Duty of Man
9And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and #1 Kin. 4:32set in order many proverbs. 10The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. 11The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. 12And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and #Eccl. 1:18much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
#(Deut. 6:2; 10:12); Mic. 6:8Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14For #Eccl. 11:9; Matt. 12:36; (Acts 17:30, 31; Rom. 2:16; 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10)God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.