Ecclesiastes 12 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 12 ▼
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LAMSA
Lamsa Bible
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
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1 REMEMBER now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw nigh when you shall 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 life ebbs, beauty fades, fortune fails, and poverty returns after prosperity; 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 legs tremble and the arms weaken, and the teeth chew no more because they are few, and the eyes are dimmed, 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 ears shall be so dulled that the sound of women grinding at the mill is low, and a man shall rise up at the song of birds; and the sound of women singing shall be 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 He shall be afraid of that which is high, and shall tremble in his ways, and sleeplessness shall come upon him; the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall be multiplied, and fragrance shall scatter, and trouble shall cease; because man goes to the house of his reward and the mourners walk 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 Remember him before the silver cord is cut off and the golden bowl is broken and the pitcher is broken at the fountain or 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 the dust shall return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to 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, says 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; yea, he gave good heed and sought out and composed 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 agreeable words; and he wrote uprightly the 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 deeply fastened, which are arranged by workmen and given from one master builder. 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 Furthermore, my son, take heed; of writing 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 conclusion of the whole matter: Fear the LORD and keep his commandments; this is given by one Master to every 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 the LORD shall bring every work into judgment, concerning everything which is hidden and known, 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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