GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New International Version NIV
1 Remember your Creator when you are young, before the days of trouble come and the years catch up with you. They will make you say, "I have found no pleasure in them."
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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”—
2 Remember your Creator before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars turn dark, [and] the clouds come back with rain.
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before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 Remember your Creator when those who guard the house tremble, strong men are stooped over, the women at the mill stop grinding because there are so few of them, [and] those who look out of the windows see a dim light.
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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;
4 Remember your Creator when the doors to the street are closed, the sound of the mill is muffled, you are startled at the sound of a bird, [and] those who sing songs become quiet.
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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;
5 Remember your Creator when someone is afraid of heights and of dangers along the road, the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, [and] the caper bush has [no] fruit. Mortals go to their eternal rest, and mourners go out in the streets.
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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.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is snapped, the golden bowl is broken, the pitcher is smashed near the spring, and the water wheel is broken at the cistern.
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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,
7 Then the dust [of mortals] goes back to the ground as it was before, and the breath of life goes back to God who gave it.
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and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 "Absolutely pointless!" says the spokesman. "Everything is pointless!"
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“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.“Everything is meaningless!”
9 Besides being wise, the spokesman also taught the people what he knew. He very carefully thought about it, studied it, and arranged it in many proverbs.
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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.
10 The spokesman tried to find just the right words. He wrote the words of truth very carefully.
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The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
11 Words from wise people are like spurs. Their collected sayings are like nails that have been driven in firmly. They come from one shepherd.
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The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd.
12 Be warned, my children, against anything more than these. People never stop writing books. Too much studying will wear out your body.
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Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
13 After having heard it all, this is the conclusion: Fear God, and keep his commands, because this applies to everyone.
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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.
14 God will certainly judge everything that is done. This includes every secret thing, whether it is good or bad.
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For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.