| Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 So remember your creator while you are young, before the evil days come, and the years approach when you will say, "They no longer give me pleasure";
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1 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"--
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2 before the sun and the light grow dim, also the moon and the stars; before the clouds return after the rain;
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2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
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3 on the day when the guards of the house are trembling, and men of courage are bent over double; when the women stop grinding grain, because there are so few; when the women at the windows can no longer see out;
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3 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;
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4 when the doors to the streets are kept shut; when the noise from the grain-mill fades; when a person is startled by the chirp of a bird, yet their singing is hard to hear;
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4 when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint;
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5 when they will be afraid to go up a hill, and terrors will stalk the way, even though the almond tree is in bloom; when the locust can only drag itself along, and the caper berry has no [aphrodisiac] effect -because the person is headed for his eternal home, and the mourners are already gathering in the marketplace
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5 when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets.
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6 before the silver cord is snapped the bowl of gold is cracked, the pitcher is shattered at the spring, the pulley is broken at the cistern,
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6 Remember him--before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well,
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7 the dust returns to earth, as it was, and the spirit returns to God, who gave it!
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7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
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8 Pointless! Meaningless! -says Kohelet, Nothing matters at all!
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8 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!"
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9 Not only was Kohelet wise, he also taught the people what he knew; also he weighed, researched and corrected many ethical sayings.
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9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.
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10 Kohelet worked to develop an attractive writing style, in which he expressed the truth straightforwardly.
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10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
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11 The sayings of the wise are as sharp as goads, and those given by leaders of assemblies are like well-fixed nails; [in this case,] they are presented by a single shepherd.
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11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails--given by one Shepherd.
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12 In addition, my son, take heed: one can write many books - there's no end to it; and one can study so much that it wearies the flesh.
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12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
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13 Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.
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13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.
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14 For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad. [Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.]
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14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
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| Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (The Complete Jewish Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
