LEB ECC Chapter 12

Advice to the Young: Life is Short and Then You Die

• 12 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth—
  • before the days of trouble come
• and the years draw near when you will say,
  • “I find no pleasure in them!”
• 2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars darken
  • and the clouds return after the rain.
• 3 When the guards of the house tremble,
  • and the men of strength are bent;
• the grinders cease because they are few,
  • and those looking through the windows see dimly.
• 4 When the doors on the street are shut,
  • when the sound of the grinding mill is low;
• one rises up to the sound of the bird,
  • and all the daughters of song are brought low.
• 5 They are afraid of heights,
  • and terrors are on the road.
• The almond tree blossoms,
  • and the grasshopper draws itself along, and desire fails
• because man goes to his eternal home,
  • and the mourners go about in the streets.
• 6 Before the silver cord is snapped
  • and the golden bowl is broken;
• and the jar at the foundation is broken,
  • and the wheel at the cistern is broken.
• 7 And the dust returns to the earth as it was,
  • and the breath returns to God who gave it.

Motto Restated

• 8 “Vanity of vanity!” says the Teacher.[fn]
  • “Everything is vanity!”

Epilogue

9 The Teacher[fn] was full of wisdom, and he taught the people with knowledge. He carefully considered many proverbs and carefully arranged them. 10 The Teacher[fn] sought to find delightful words,[fn] and he wrote[fn] what is upright—truthful words.

11 The words of the wise are like cattle goads; the collections of the sages are like pricks inflicted by one shepherd.[fn] 12 My son, be careful ⌊about anything beyond these things⌋.[fn] For the writing of books is endless, and too much study ⌊is wearisome⌋.[fn]

• 13 Now that all has been heard, here is the final conclusion:
  • Fear God and obey his commandments,
    • for this is the whole duty of man.
• 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
  • including every secret thing, whether good or evil.