Ecclesiastes 12

Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly

12:1 So remember¹ your Creator in the days of your youth –

before² the difficult³ days come,

and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

12:2 before the sun and the light⁴ of the moon and the stars grow dark,

and the clouds disappear⁵ after the rain;

12:3 when those who keep watch over the house⁶ begin to tremble,⁷

and the virile men begin to stoop over,⁸

and the grinders⁹ begin to cease because they grow few,

and those who look through the windows grow dim,¹⁰

12:4 and the doors along the street are shut;

when the sound of the grinding mill¹¹ grows low,

and one is awakened¹² by the sound of a bird,

and all their¹³ songs¹⁴ grow faint,¹⁵

12:5 and they are afraid of heights and the dangers¹⁶ in the street;

the almond blossoms¹⁷ grow white,¹⁸

and the grasshopper¹⁹ drags itself along,²⁰

and the caper berry²¹ shrivels up²² –

because man goes to his eternal home,²³

and the mourners go about in the streets –

12:6 before the silver cord is removed,

or the golden bowl is broken,

or the pitcher is shattered at the well,²⁴

or the water wheel²⁵ is broken at the cistern –

12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was,

and the life’s breath²⁶ returns to God who gave it.

Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis

12:8 “Absolutely futile!”²⁷ laments the Teacher,²⁸

“All of these things²⁹ are futile!”³⁰

Concluding Epilogue: Qoheleth’s Advice is Wise

12:9 Not only was the Teacher wise,³¹

but he also taught knowledge to the people;

he carefully evaluated³² and arranged³³ many proverbs.

12:10 The Teacher sought to find delightful³⁴ words,

and to write³⁵ accurately truthful sayings.³⁶

12:11 The words of the sages are like prods,³⁷

and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails;

they are given by one shepherd.

Concluding Exhortation: Fear God and Obey His Commands!

12:12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.³⁸

There is no end to the making³⁹ of many books,

and much study is exhausting to the body.⁴⁰

12:13 Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion:⁴¹

Fear God and keep his commandments,

because this is the whole duty⁴² of man.

12:14 For God will evaluate every deed,⁴³

including every secret thing, whether good or evil.