12:1 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;
12:2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are
not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
12:3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and
the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease
because they are few, and those that look out of the windows
shall be darkened,
12:4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound
of the grinding shall be low, and he shall rise up at the voice
of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought
low.
12:5 Also [when] they shall be afraid of [that which is] high,
and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall
flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire
shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the
mourners go about the streets:
12:6 Or ever the silver cord shall be loosed, or the golden bowl
be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the
wheel broken at the cistern.
12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the
spirit shall return to God who gave it.
12:8 Vanity of vanities saith the preacher; all [is] vanity.
12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still
taught the people knowledge: yes, he gave good heed, and sought
out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
12:10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and
[that which was] written [was] upright, [even] words of truth.
12:11 The words of the wise [are] as goads, and as nails
fastened [by] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from
one shepherd.
12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making
many books [there is] no end; and much study [is] a weariness
of the flesh.
12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God,
and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of
man.
12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether [it is] good, or whether [it is] evil.
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