Ecclesiastes 12 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 12 ▼
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JPS
JPS Tanakh 1917
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 Remember then 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'; 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, are 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 shall tremble, And the strong men shall bow themselves, And the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look out shall be darkened in the windows, 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 shall be shut in the street, When the sound of the grinding is low; And one shall start up at the voice of a bird, And all the daughters of music shall be 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 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, And terrors shall be in the way; And the almond-tree shall blossom, And the grasshopper shall drag itself along, And the caperberry shall fail; Because man goeth to his 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 is snapped asunder, And the golden bowl is shattered, And the pitcher is broken at the fountain, And the wheel falleth shattered, into the pit; 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 returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth 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 Koheleth; all is vanity. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
9 And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, 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 Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even 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 as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; 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 furthermore, my son, be admonished: 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 The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole 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 the judgment concerning every hidden 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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