1 R emember 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”:

Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 W hile the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain;

before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

3 I n 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;

in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,

4 W hen 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.

and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 A lso 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.

yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 R emember 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.

before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

7 T hen the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

8 “ Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.” The Whole Duty of Man

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

9 A nd moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.

And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 T he Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

11 T he words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.

The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 A nd further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.

And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 L et us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

14 F or God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.