Chapter 12

Remember God in Your Youth

1 aRemember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the bevil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;

2 before the asun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;

3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men astoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and bthose who look through 1windows grow dim;

4 and the doors on the street are shut as the asound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the bdaughters of song will 1sing softly.

5 Furthermore, 1men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal ahome while bmourners go about in the street.

6 Remember Him before the silver cord is 1broken and the agolden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;

7 then the adust will return to the earth as it was, and the 1bspirit will return to cGod who gave it.

8 “aVanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

Purpose of the Preacher

9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged amany proverbs.

10 The Preacher sought to find adelightful words and to write bwords of truth correctly.

11 The awords of wise men are like bgoads, and masters of these collections are like 1well-driven cnails; they are given by one Shepherd.

12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the 1writing of amany books is endless, and excessive bdevotion to books is wearying to the body.

13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: afear God and bkeep His commandments, because this applies to cevery person.

14 For aGod will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.