Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, and the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not:
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Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";
2 Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars be darkened, and the clouds 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 with the rain;
3 When the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall stagger, and the grinders shall be idle in a small number, and they that look through the holes shall be darkened:
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in the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly;
4 And they shall shut the doors in the street, when the grinder’s voice shall be low, and they shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall grow deaf.
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when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 And they shall fear high things, and they shall be afraid in the way, the almond tree shall flourish, the locust shall be made fat, and the caper tree shall be destroyed: because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall go round about in the street.
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when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets;
6 Before the silver cord be broken, and the golden fillet shrink back, and the pitcher be crushed at the fountain, and the wheel be broken upon the cistern,
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before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern,
7 And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.
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and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.
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Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity.
9 And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and declared the things that he had done: and seeking out, he set forth many parables.
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Besides being wise, the Teacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs.
10 He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full of truth.
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The Teacher sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails deeply fastened in, which by the counsel of masters are given from one shepherd.
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The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd.
12 More than these, my son, require not. Of making many books there is no end: and much study is an affliction of the flesh.
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Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us all hear together the conclusion of the discourse. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is all man:
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The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.
14 And all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for every error, whether it be good or evil.
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For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.