Ecc 12 | NASB2020 | STEP | Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth , before the evil days come and the years approach when you will say , “I have no pleasure in them”;

Ecclesiastes 12

Remember God in Your Youth

1 ^aRemember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the ^bevil days come and the years approach when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the ^csun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 on the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and strong men are ^dbent over, the grinders stop working because they are few, and ^ethose who look through ^{▼▼Or holes}windows grow ^{▼▼I.e., in their eyesight}dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the ^hsound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the ⁱdaughters of song will ^{▼▼Lit be low}sing softly. 5 Furthermore, people are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal ^khome while the ^lmourners move around in the street. 6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is ^{▼▼As in LXX; Heb removed}broken and the ⁿgolden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the spring is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the ^odust will return to the earth as it was, and the ^{▼▼Or breath
,} ^qspirit will return to ^rGod who gave it. 8 “ ^sFutility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “all is futility!”

Purpose of the Preacher

9 In addition to being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out, and arranged ^tmany proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find ^udelightful words and to write ^vwords of truth correctly.

11 The ^wwords of the wise are like ^{▼▼I.e., spiked sticks for driving cattle
,} ^ygoads, and masters of these collections are like driven ^znails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the ^{▼▼Lit making}writing of ^abmany books is endless, and excessive ^acstudy is ^{▼▼Lit weariness}wearying to the body.

13 The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: ^aefear God and ^afkeep His commandments, because this applies to ^agevery person. 14 For ^ahGod will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.