New King James Version NKJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them":
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Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";
2 While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain;
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before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim;
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in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows are dimmed,
4 When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low;
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and the doors on the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.
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they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets;
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.
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before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
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and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "All is vanity."
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Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.
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Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging proverbs with great care.
10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright--words of truth.
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The Preacher sought to find pleasing words, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
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The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings which are given by one Shepherd.
12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
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My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.
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The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
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For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.