Ecclesiastes 12
12
1So remember your Creator#12.1 The Hebrew expression for your Creator sounds like the Hebrew for your grave. while you are still young, before those dismal days and years come when you will say, “I don't enjoy life.” 2That is when the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars will grow dim for you, and the rain clouds will never pass away. 3Then your arms, that have protected you, will tremble, and your legs, now strong, will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to chew your food, and your eyes too dim to see clearly. 4Your ears will be deaf to the noise of the street. You will barely be able to hear the mill as it grinds or music as it plays, but even the song of a bird will wake you from sleep. 5You will be afraid of high places, and walking will be dangerous. Your hair will turn white; you will hardly be able to drag yourself along, and all desire will have gone.
We are going to our final resting place, and then there will be mourning in the streets. 6The silver chain will snap, and the golden lamp will fall and break; the rope at the well will break, and the water jar will be shattered. 7Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us.
8Useless, useless, said the Philosopher. It is all useless.
The Summing Up
9But because the Philosopher was wise, he kept on teaching the people what he knew. He studied proverbs and honestly tested their truth. 10The Philosopher tried to find comforting words, but the words he wrote were honest. 11The sayings of the wise are like the sharp sticks that shepherds use to guide sheep, and collected proverbs are as lasting as firmly driven nails. They have been given by God, the one Shepherd of us all.
12My child, there is something else to watch out for. There is no end to the writing of books, and too much study will wear you out.
13After all this, there is only one thing to say: have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that human beings were created for. 14God is going to judge everything we do, whether good or bad, even things done in secret.
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Ecclesiastes 12: GNBUK
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 12
12
1Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”:
2Before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3in the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men shall bow down; when the grinders shall cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows shall become dim;
4and the doors shall be shut in the streets, and the sound of grinding is low; and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are bowed down;
5furthermore, they are afraid of what is high, and of low places in the way; and the almond tree blossoms, and the grasshopper becomes a burden, and desire perishes. For man is going to his everlasting home, and the mourners shall go about the streets.
6Remember Him before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the jar shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well,
7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to Elohim who gave it.
8“Futility! Futility!” said the Qoheleth, “All is futile.”
9And besides being wise, Qoheleth also taught the people knowledge, and he listened and sought out – set in order many proverbs.
10Qoheleth sought to find out words of delight, and words of truth, rightly written.
11The words of the wise are like goads, and as nails driven by the masters of collections – they were given by one Shepherd.
12And besides these, my son, be warned – the making of many books has no end, and much study is a wearying of the flesh.
13Let us hear the conclusion of the entire matter: Fear Elohim and guard His commands, for this applies to all mankind!
14For Elohim shall bring every work into right-ruling, including all that is hidden, whether good or whether evil.
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