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Ecclesiastes 12:4-14

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4 And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
5 Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
6 While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
7 And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
9 And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out -- he made right many similes.
10 The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, words of truth.
11 Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.
12 And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the whole matter let us hear: -- `Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
14 For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
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Ecclesiastes 12:7

Ecclesiastes 12:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 12

This chapter begins with advice to young men, which is continued from the preceding; and particularly to remember their Creator in the days of their youth; enforced from the consideration of the troubles and inconveniences of old age, Ec 12:1; which, in an allegorical way, is beautifully described, Ec 12:2-6; and from the certainty of death, when it would be too late, Ec 12:7. And then the wise man returns to his first proposition, and which he kept in view all along, that all is vanity in youth or old age, Ec 12:8; and recommends the reading of this book, from the diligence, pains and labour, he used in composing it; from the sententious matter in it; from the agreeable, acceptable, and well chosen words, in which he had expressed it; and from the wisdom, uprightness, truth, efficacy, and authority of the doctrines of it, Ec 12:9-11; and from its preference to other books, which were wearisome both to author and reader, Ec 12:12. And it is concluded with the scope and design, the sum and substance of the whole of it, reducible to these two heads; the fear of God, and obedience to him, Ec 12:13; and which are urged from the consideration of a future judgment, into which all things shall be brought, Ec 12:14.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.