Ecclesiastes 12 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible Classic
[1] Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come, and the years draw near,
when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
[2] Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened,
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 who look out of the windows are darkened,
[4] and the doors shall be shut in the street;
when the sound of the grinding is low,
and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird,
and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
[5] yes, they shall be afraid of heights,
and terrors will be on the way;
and the almond tree shall blossom,
and the grasshopper shall be a burden,
and desire shall fail;
because man goes to his everlasting home,
and the mourners go about the streets;
[6] before the silver cord is severed,
or the golden bowl is broken,
or the pitcher is broken at the spring,
or the wheel broken at the cistern,
[7] and the dust returns to the earth as it was,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
[8] “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher.
“All is vanity!” [9] Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. [10] The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth. [11] The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. [12] Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. [13] This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. [14] For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
before the evil days come, and the years draw near,
when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
[2] Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened,
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 who look out of the windows are darkened,
[4] and the doors shall be shut in the street;
when the sound of the grinding is low,
and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird,
and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
[5] yes, they shall be afraid of heights,
and terrors will be on the way;
and the almond tree shall blossom,
and the grasshopper shall be a burden,
and desire shall fail;
because man goes to his everlasting home,
and the mourners go about the streets;
[6] before the silver cord is severed,
or the golden bowl is broken,
or the pitcher is broken at the spring,
or the wheel broken at the cistern,
[7] and the dust returns to the earth as it was,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
[8] “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher.
“All is vanity!” [9] Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. [10] The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth. [11] The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. [12] Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. [13] This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. [14] For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
King James Version
[1] Remember H2142 (QalImpv) now thy Creator H1254 (QalActPtc) in the days H3117 of thy youth, H979 while the evil H7451 days H3117 come H935 (QalImpf) not, nor the years H8141 draw nigh, H5060 (HiphPerf) when thou shalt say, H559 (QalImpf) I have no pleasure H2656 in them; [2] while the sun, H8121 or the light, H216 or the moon, H3394 or the stars, H3556 be not darkened, H2821 (QalImpf) nor the clouds H5645 return H7725 (QalPerf) after H310 the rain: H1653 [3] in the day H3117 when the keepers H8104 (QalActPtc) of the house H1004 shall tremble, H2111 (QalImpf) and the strong H2428 men H582 shall bow H5791 (HithPerf) themselves, and the grinders H2912 (QalActPtc) cease H988 (QalPerf) because they are few, H4591 (PielPerf) and those that look out H7200 (QalActPtc) of the windows H699 be darkened, H2821 (QalPerf) [4] and the doors H1817 shall be shut H5462 (PualPerf) in the streets, H7784 when the sound H6963 of the grinding H2913 is low, H8217 and he shall rise up H6965 (QalImpf) at the voice H6963 of the bird, H6833 and all the daughters H1323 of musick H7892 shall be brought low; H7817 (NiphImpf) [5] also when they shall be afraid H3372 (QalImpf) of that which is high, H1364 and fears H2849 shall be in the way, H1870 and the almond tree H8247 shall flourish, H5006 (HiphImpf) and the grasshopper H2284 shall be a burden, H5445 (HithImpf) and desire H35 shall fail: H6565 (HiphImpf) because man H120 goeth H1980 (QalActPtc) to his long H5769 home, H1004 and the mourners H5594 (QalActPtc) go about H5437 (QalPerf) the streets: H7784 [6] or ever H3808 the silver H3701 cord H2256 be loosed, H7576 (NiphImpf/Qere) or the golden H2091 bowl H1543 be broken, H7533 (QalImpf) or the pitcher H3537 be broken H7665 (NiphImpf) at the fountain, H4002 or the wheel H1534 broken H7533 (NiphPerf) at the cistern. H953 [7] Then shall the dust H6083 return H7725 (QalImpf) to the earth H776 as it was: and the spirit H7307 shall return H7725 (QalImpf) unto God H430 who gave H5414 (QalPerf) it. [8] Vanity H1892 of vanities, H1892 saith H559 (QalPerf) the Preacher; H6953 all is vanity. H1892 [9] And moreover, H3148 because the preacher H6953 was wise, H2450§ he still taught H3925 (PielPerf) the people H5971 knowledge; H1847 yea, he gave good heed, H239 (PielPerf) and sought out, H2713 (PielPerf) and set in order H8626 (PielPerf) many H7235 (HiphInf) proverbs. H4912 [10] The preacher H6953 sought H1245 (PielPerf) to find out H4672 (QalInf) acceptable H2656 words: H1697§ and that which was written H3789 (QalPasPtc) was upright, H3476 even words H1697 of truth. H571 [11] The words H1697 of the wise H2450 are as goads, H1861 and as nails H4930 fastened H5193 (QalPasPtc) by the masters H1167 of assemblies, H627 which are given H5414 (NiphPerf) from one H259 shepherd. H7462 (QalActPtc) [12] And further, H3148 by these, H1992 my son, H1121 be admonished: H2094 (NiphImpv) of making H6213 (QalInf) many H7235 (HiphInf) books H5612 there is no end; H7093 and much H7235 (HiphInf) study H3854§ is a weariness H3024 of the flesh. H1320 [13] Let us hear H8085 (QalImpf) the conclusion H5490 of the whole matter: H1697§ Fear H3372 (QalImpv) God, H430 and keep H8104 (QalImpv) his commandments: H4687 for this is the whole duty of man. H120 [14] For God H430 shall bring H935 (HiphImpf) every work H4639 into judgment, H4941 with every secret thing, H5956 (NiphPtc) whether it be good, H2896 or whether it be evil. H7451
Footnotes
- § 12:9 Or, the more wise the preacher was, etc.
- § 12:10 Heb. words of delight
- § 12:12 Or, reading
- § 12:13 Or, the end of the matter, even all that hath been heard, is
Byzantine Greek New Testament
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