Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 12

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, “These do not please me.”	1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have 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,	2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3 when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened.	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 of the windows be darkened,
4 And they will close the doors to the street, when the voice of he who grinds the grain will be humbled, and they will be disturbed at the sound of a flying thing, and all the daughters of song shall become deaf.	4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
5 Likewise, they will fear the things above them, and they will dread the way. The almond tree will flourish; the locust will be fattened; and the caper plant will scattered, because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall wander around in the street.	5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Before the silver cord is broken, and the golden band pulls away, and the pitcher is crushed over the fountain, and the wheel is broken above the cistern,	6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 and the dust returns to its earth, from which it was, and the spirit returns to God, who granted it.	7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all is vanity!	8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9 And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables.	9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth.	10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like a goad, and like nails deeply fastened, which, through the counsel of teachers, are set forth by one pastor.	11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh.	12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man.	13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil.	14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.