Ecclesiastes 12 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 12 ▼
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1 So remember your Creator during your youth! Otherwise, troublesome days will come and years will creep up on you when you'll say, |I find 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 Otherwise, when the sun, daylight, moon, or stars turn dark, or when clouds fail to 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 when that day comes, the palace guards will tremble, strong men will stoop down, women grinders will cease because they are few, and the sight of those who peer through the lattice will grow dim. 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 The doors to the street will be shut when the sound of grinding decreases, when one wakes up at the song of a bird, and all of the singing women are silenced. 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 At that time they will fear climbing heights and dangers along the road while the almond tree will blossom, and the grasshopper is weighed down. Desire will cease, because the person goes to his eternal home, and mourners will gather in the marketplace. 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 When the silver cord is severed, the golden vessel is broken, the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, and the wheel is 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 then man's dust will go back to the earth, returning to what it was, and the spirit will return to the 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 |Utterly pointless,| says the Teacher. |Everything is pointless.| Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
9 Moreover, besides being wise himself, the Teacher taught people what he had learned by listening, making inquiries, and composing 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 Teacher searched to find appropriate expressions, and what is written here is right and truthful. 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 Sayings from the wise are like cattle prods and well fastened nails; this masterful collection was given by 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 So learn from them, my son. There is no end to the crafting of many books, and too much study wearies the body. 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 the conclusion of all of these thoughts be heard: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this is what it means to be human. 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 will judge every deed, along with every secret, whether good or 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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