1 Remember your Creator

in the days of your youth,

before the days of trouble come

and the years approach when you will say,

“I find no pleasure in them”—

2 before the sun and the light

and the moon and the stars grow dark,

and the clouds return after the rain;

3 when the keepers of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

when the grinders cease because they are few,

and those looking through the windows grow dim;

4 when the doors to the street are closed

and the sound of grinding fades;

when people rise up at the sound of birds,

but all their songs grow faint;

1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low—

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; 2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor 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 doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.

4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.

1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,

Before the difficult days come,

And the years draw near when you say,

“I have no pleasure in them”:

2 While the sun and the light,

The moon and the stars,

Are not darkened,

And the clouds do not return after the rain;

3 In 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;

4 When 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 the daughters of music are brought low.

1 Remember your Creator

while you are young,

before the days of trouble come

and the years when you say,

“I find no pleasure in them.”

2 When you get old,

the light from the sun, moon, and stars will grow dark;

the rain clouds will never seem to go away.

3 At that time your arms will shake

and your legs will become weak.

Your teeth will fall out so you cannot chew,

and your eyes will not see clearly.

4 Your ears will be deaf to the noise in the streets,

and you will barely hear the millstone grinding grain.

You’ll wake up when a bird starts singing,

but you will barely hear singing.

1 Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are 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 shall be darkened, 4 and the doors 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;

1 And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 before 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 tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened, 4 and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;

1 Remember 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.” 

2 Remember your Creator before the sun, the light, the moon, 

and the stars turn dark, ⸤and⸥ the clouds come back with rain. 

3 Remember 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. 

4 Remember 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. 

1 So remember your Creator in the days of your youth:

Before the days of adversity come,

and the years approach when you will say,

“I have no delight in them”;

2 before the sun and the light are darkened,

and the moon and the stars,

and the clouds return after the rain;

3 on the day when the guardians of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

the women who grind cease because they are few,

and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly,

4 the doors at the street are shut

while the sound of the mill fades;

when one rises at the sound of a bird,

and all the daughters of song grow faint.

1 Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain; 3 in the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly; 4 when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;

1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth—

before the days of trouble come

and the years draw near when you will say,

“I find no pleasure in them!”

2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars darken

and the clouds return after the rain.

3 When the guards of the house tremble,

and the men of strength are bent;

the grinders cease because they are few,

and those looking through the windows see dimly.

4 When the doors on the street are shut,

when the sound of the grinding mill is low;

one rises up to the sound of the bird,

and all the daughters of song are brought low.

1 Remember the One who created you.

Remember him while you are still young.

Think about him before your times of trouble come.

The years will come when you will say,

“I don’t find any pleasure in them.”

2 That’s when the sunlight will become dark.

The moon and the stars will also grow dark.

And the clouds will return after it rains.

3 Remember your Creator before those who guard the house tremble with old age.

That’s when strong men will be bent over.

The women who grind grain will stop because there are so few of them left.

Those who look through the windows won’t be able to see very well.

4 Remember your Creator before the front doors are closed.

That’s when the sound of grinding will fade away.

Old men will rise up when they hear birds singing.

But they will barely hear any of their songs.