Ecclesiastes 12 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;

KJV_Strongs⁽ⁱ⁾

1 H2142 Remember [H8798] H1254 now thy Creator [H8802] H3117 in the days H979 of thy youth H7451 , while the evil H3117 days H935 come [H8799] H8141 not, nor the years H5060 draw nigh [H8689] H559 , when thou shalt say [H8799] H2656 , I have no pleasure in them;

2 H8121 While the sun H216 , or the light H3394 , or the moon H3556 , or the stars H2821 , be not darkened [H8799] H5645 , nor the clouds H7725 return [H8804] H310 after H1653 the rain:

3 H3117 In the day H8104 when the keepers [H8802] H1004 of the house H2111 shall tremble [H8799] H2428 , and the strong H582 men H5791 shall bow [H8694] H2912 themselves, and the grinders [H8802] H988 cease [H8804] H4591 because they are few [H8765] H7200 , and those that look out [H8802] H699 of the windows H2821 be darkened [H8804] ,

4 H1817 And the doors H5462 shall be shut [H8795] H7784 in the streets H6963 , when the sound H2913 of the grinding H8217 is low H6965 , and he shall rise up [H8799] H6963 at the voice H6833 of the bird H1323 , and all the daughters H7892 of musick H7817 shall be brought low [H8735] ;

5 H3372 Also when they shall be afraid [H8799] H1364 of that which is high H2849 , and fears H1870 shall be in the way H8247 , and the almond tree H5006 shall flourish [H8686] H2284 , and the grasshopper H5445 shall be a burden [H8691] H35 , and desire H6565 shall fail [H8686] H120 : because man H1980 goeth [H8802] H5769 to his long H1004 home H5594 , and the mourners [H8802] H5437 go about [H8804] H7784 the streets:

6 H3808 Or ever H3701 the silver H2256 cord H7576 be loosed [H8735] [H8675] H7368 [H8735] H2091 , or the golden H1543 bowl H7533 be broken [H8799] H3537 , or the pitcher H7665 be broken [H8735] H4002 at the fountain H1534 , or the wheel H7533 broken [H8738] H953 at the cistern.

7 H6083 Then shall the dust H7725 return [H8799] H776 to the earth H7307 as it was: and the spirit H7725 shall return [H8799] H430 unto God H5414 who gave [H8804] it.

8 H1892 Vanity H1892 of vanities H559 , saith [H8804] H6953 the preacher H1892 ; all is vanity.

9 H3148 And moreover H6953 , because the preacher H2450 was wise H3925 , he still taught [H8765] H5971 the people H1847 knowledge H239 ; yea, he gave good heed [H8765] H2713 , and sought out [H8765] H8626 , and set in order [H8765] H7235 many [H8687] H4912 proverbs.

10 H6953 The preacher H1245 sought [H8765] H4672 to find out [H8800] H2656 acceptable H1697 words H3789 : and that which was written [H8803] H3476 was upright H1697 , even words H571 of truth.

11 H1697 The words H2450 of the wise H1861 are as goads H4930 , and as nails H5193 fastened [H8803] H1167 by the masters H627 of assemblies H5414 , which are given [H8738] H259 from one H7462 shepherd [H8802] .

12 H3148 And further H1992 , by these H1121 , my son H2094 , be admonished [H8734] H6213 : of making [H8800] H7235 many [H8687] H5612 books H7093 there is no end H7235 ; and much [H8687] H3854 study H3024 is a weariness H1320 of the flesh.

13 H8085 Let us hear [H8799] H5490 the conclusion H1697 of the whole matter H3372 : Fear [H8798] H430 God H8104 , and keep [H8798] H4687 his commandments H120 : for this is the whole duty of man.

14 H430 For God H935 shall bring [H8686] H4639 every work H4941 into judgment H5956 , with every secret thing [H8737] H2896 , whether it be good H7451 , or whether it be evil.

ERV⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, or ever the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; ² or ever the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain: 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 be darkened, ⁴ and the door shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low; ⁵ yea, they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and terrors [shall be] in the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and the caper-berry shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: ⁶ or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern; ⁷ and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it. ⁸ Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity. ⁹ And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs. ¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, [even] words of truth. ¹¹ The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are [the words of] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd. ¹² And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. ¹³ [This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] of man. ¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.