Before the days of trouble
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 — before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; 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; 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; 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. 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, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
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 —
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;
before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
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;
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,
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;
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;
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.
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:
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,
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.
and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
The conclusion
Meaningless. Meaningless. says the Teacher. Everything is meaningless. 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. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails — given by one shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. 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. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
Meaningless. Meaningless. says the Teacher. Everything is meaningless.
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
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.
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.
The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails — given by one shepherd.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
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.
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.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.