Loading…
12 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.
5 Remember your Creator before you become afraid of places that are too high.
You will also be terrified because of danger in the streets.
Remember your Creator before the almond trees have buds on them.
That’s when grasshoppers will drag themselves along.
Old men will not want to make love anymore.
Man will go to his dark home in the grave.
And those who sob over the dead will walk around in the streets.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is cut.
That’s when the golden bowl will be broken.
The wheel will be broken at the well.
The pitcher will be smashed at the spring.
7 Remember your Creator before you return to the dust you came from.
That’s when your spirit will go back to God who gave it.
8 “Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Nothing has any meaning.”
9The Teacher was wise. He gave knowledge to people. He put many proverbs to the test. He thought about them carefully. Then he wrote them down in order. 10He did his best to find just the right words. And what he wrote was honest and true.
11The sayings of those who are wise move people to take action. Their collected sayings really nail things down. They are given to us by one Shepherd. 12My son, be careful not to pay attention to anything that is added to them.
Books will never stop being written. Too much studying makes people tired.
13 Everything has now been heard.
And here’s the final thing I want to say.
Have respect for God and obey his commandments.
That’s what everyone should do.
14 God will judge everything people do.
That includes everything they try to hide.
He’ll judge everything, whether it’s good or evil.
|
About New International Reader’s Version (1998)The New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) was developed to help early readers understand the Bible. Begun in 1992, the NIrV is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV). The NIrV uses shorter words and sentences so that those with a typical fourth grade reading level can comprehend what they are reading. The chapters have been separated into shorter sections and most have titles that clearly indicate what the section is all about. The NIrV will be a valuable translation to those for whom English is a second language. The NIrV still relies on the best and oldest copies of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts for its translation, guaranteeing that those who read it are getting the actual Word of God. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved. The NIrV text may be quoted for non-commercial usage in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without the express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted. Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows: Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. When quotations from the NIrV text are used in non-saleable media, such as church bulletins, orders of service, posters, transparencies or similar media, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials (NIrV) must appear at the end of each quotation. Any commentary or other Biblical reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the New International Reader’s Version must obtain written permission for use of the NIrV text. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.S. and Canada that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.K., EEC, and EFTA countries that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Hodder Headline Plc., 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH, England. Permission requests for non-commercial usage that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, International Bible Society, 1820 Jet Stream Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. |
| Support Info | nirv |