1
Remember also your
Creator in the
days of your
youth,
before * * the
evil days come and the
years draw near when you will
say, "I
have no delight in them";
d;[ '$y,t{r.Wx.B yemyiB '$y,a.rw{B -t,a r{k.z.W ? ~yin'v .W[yiGih.w h'['r'h yem.y .Wa{b'y -a{l r,v]a ? #,pex ~,h'b yil -nyea r;ma{T r,v]a
2
before * * the
sun and the
light, the
moon and the
stars are
darkened, and
clouds return after the
rain;
;xer'Y;h.w rw{a'h.w v,m,V;h .$;v.x,t -a{l r,v]a d;[ ? ~,v'G;h r;x;a ~yib'[,h .Wb'v.w ~yib'kw{K;h.w
3
in the
day that the
watchmen of the
house tremble, and
mighty men stoop, the
grinding ones
stand idle because they are
few, and those who
look through
windows grow dim;
yev.n;a .Wt..W;[.tih.w tIy;B;h yer.m{v .W[Uz'Y,v ~w{Y;B ? .Wk.v'x.w .Wje[im yiK tw{n]x{J;h .Wl.j'b.W lIy'x,h ? tw{BUr]a'B tw{a{r'h
4
and the
doors on the
street are
shut as the
sound of the
grinding mill is
low, and one will
arise at the
sound of the
bird, and
all the
daughters of
song will
sing softly.
h'n]x;J;h lw{q l;p.viB q.WV;B ~Iy;t'l.d .Wr.GUs.w ? tw{n.B -l'K .Wx;VIy.w rw{PiC;h lw{q.l ~.Wq'y.w ? ryiV;h
5
Furthermore, men are
afraid of a
high place and of
terrors on the
road; the
almond tree blossoms, the
grasshopper drags himself along, and the
caperberry is
ineffective. For
man goes to his
eternal home while
mourners go about in the
street.
#aen'y.w .$,r,D;B ~yiT;x.t;x.w .Wa'rIy ;H{b'Gim ~;G ? .$el{h -yiK h'nw{Yib]a'h rep't.w b'g'x,h leB;T.sIy.w deq'V;h ? ~yid.p{S;h q.WV;b .Wb.b's.w w{m'lw{[ tyeB -l,a ~'d'a'h
6
Remember Him
before * * the
silver cord is
broken and the
golden bowl is
crushed, the
pitcher by the
well is
shattered and the
wheel at the
cistern is
crushed;
t;LUG #Ur't.w @,s,K;h l,b,x q;xrIy -a{l r,v]a d;[ ? l;G.l;G;h #{r'n.w ;[.WB;M;h -l;[ d;K r,b'Vit.w b'h'Z;h ? rw{B;h -l,a
7
then the
dust will
return to the
earth as it was, and the
spirit will
return to
God who gave it.
;x.Wr'h.w h'y'h,v.K #,r'a'h -l;[ r'p'[,h b{v'y.w ? H'n't.n r,v]a ~yih{l/a'h -l,a b.Wv'T
8
"Vanity of
vanities,"
says the
Preacher,
"all is
vanity!"
l,b'h l{K;h t,l,hw{Q;h r;m'a ~yil'b]h leb]h
9
In
addition to
being a
wise man, the
Preacher also taught the
people knowledge; and he
pondered,
searched out and
arranged many proverbs.
t;[;D -d;Mil dw{[ ~'k'x t,l,h{q h'y'h,v ret{y.w ? heB.r;h ~yil'v.m !eQiT reQix.w !eZia.w ~'['h -t,a
10
The
Preacher sought to
find delightful words and to
write words of
truth correctly.
r,v{y b.Wt'k.w #,pex -yer.biD a{c.mil t,l,h{q veQiB ? t,m/a yer.biD
11
The
words of
wise men are like
goads, and
masters of these
collections are like
well-driven nails; they are
given by
one Shepherd.
~yi[.Wj.n tw{r.m.f;m.k.W tw{n{b.r'D;K ~yim'k]x yer.biD ? d'x,a h,[{rem .Wn.Tin tw{PUs]a yel][;B
12
But
beyond this, my
son, be
warned: the
writing of
many books is
endless *, and
excessive devotion to books is
wearying to the
body.
heB.r;h ~yir'p.s tw{f][ reh'Zih yin.B h'Mehem ret{y.w ? r'f'B t;[ig.y heB.r;h g;h;l.w #eq !yea
13
The
conclusion *, when
all has been
heard, is:
fear God and
keep His
commandments,
because this applies to
every person.
a'r.y ~yih{l/a'h -t,a ['m.vin l{K;h r'b'D @w{s ? ~'d'a'h -l'K h,z -yiK rw{m.v wy't{w.cim -t,a.w
14
For
God will
bring every act to
judgment,
everything which is
hidden,
whether it is
good or
evil.
j'P.vim.b aib'y ~yih{l/a'h h,f][;m -l'K -t,a yiK ? ['r -mia.w bw{j -mia ~'l.[,n -l'K l;[