Ecclesiastes 12

1And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years arrive of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them.”

2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain.

3on the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the men of strength are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows grow dark,

4and the doors to the street are shut when the sound of the grinding grows faint, and one rises at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low.

5Also they are afraid of heights, and terrors are on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry fails, because man is going to his eternal house, and the mourners go about in the street.

6before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the jar is broken at the spring, and the wheel is broken at the well.

7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8“Vapor of vapors,” says the Teacher; “everything is vapor.”

9Besides being wise, Qoheleth also taught the people knowledge; he weighed, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.

10Qoheleth sought to find pleasing words, and what was written was upright—words of truth.

11The words of the wise are like goads, and like firmly planted nails are the masters of collections; they are given from one shepherd.

12And beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to making many books, and much study wearies the body.

13The end of the matter, when all has been heard: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of humanity.

14For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.