Ecclesiastes 12
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King James BibleEnglish Standard Version
1Remember 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;1Remember 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”;
2While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,
3In 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,3in 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,
4And 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;4and 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—
5Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:5they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—
6Or 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.6before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.8Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
9And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.9Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care.
10The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.10The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.11The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.
12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.12My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.13The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.14For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.
Ecclesiastes 11
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