Ecclesiastes 12 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 12 ▼
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English Standard Version
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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; 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”; 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, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, 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, 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, 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 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; 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— 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;
5 they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets;) they 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— when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets.
6 -- before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern; before 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, Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it. and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs. Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.
10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd. The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd.
12 And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
13 Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
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