Ecclesiastes 12

¹Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,

before the days of adversity come

and the years approach of which you will say,

“I find no pleasure in them,”

²before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened,

and the clouds return after the rain,

³on the day the keepers of the house tremble

and the strong men stoop,

when those grinding cease because they are few

and those watching through windows see dimly,

⁴when the doors to the street are shut

and the sound of the mill fades away,

when one rises at the sound of a bird

and all the daughters of song grow faint,

⁵when men fear the heights and dangers of the road,

when the almond tree blossoms,

the grasshopper loses its spring,

and the caper berry shrivels —

for then man goes to his eternal home

and mourners walk the streets.

⁶Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped

and the golden bowl is crushed,

before the pitcher is shattered at the spring

and the wheel is broken at the well,

⁷before the dust returns to the ground from which it came

and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

⁸“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher.

“Everything is futile!”

⁹Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.

¹⁰The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.

¹¹The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.

¹²And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.

¹³When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.

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