Ecclesiastes 12 - Expanded Bible (EXB)

The Problems of Old Age

12 Remember your ·Creator [or health]
·while you are young [L in the days of your youth],
before the days of ·trouble [evil] come
and the years when you say,
“I find no ·pleasure [delight] in them.”
2 When you get old,
the light from the sun, moon, and stars will grow dark,
and the rain clouds ·will never seem to go away [L return after the rain].
3 At that time ·your arms [L the guards of the house] will shake
and ·your legs [L the landowners] will ·become weak [bend].
·Your teeth will fall out so you cannot chew [L The grinders cease because they are few; C women who grind grain],
and ·your eyes will not see clearly [L those who look through the windows grow dim; C another group of women].
4 ·Your ears will be deaf to the noise [L The doors are shut] in the streets,
and ·you will barely hear the millstone grinding grain [L the sound of grinding decreases].
·You’ll wake up when a bird starts singing [L One rises at the sound of a bird],
·but you will barely hear singing [L and the daughters of song are brought low].
5 ·You [L They] will fear high places
and ·will be afraid to go for a walk [L the terrors of the street].
·Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree [L The almond tree blossoms].
·You will limp along like a grasshopper when you walk [L The grasshopper drags itself along].
Your ·appetite [or sexual desire] will be gone.
Then ·you will [L people] go to ·your [L their] everlasting home [C the grave],
and ·people will go to your funeral [L mourners walk around in the street].

6 Soon ·your life will snap like a silver chain [L the silver thread will be snapped]
·or break like a golden bowl [L and the golden bowl will be crushed].
·You will be like a broken pitcher at a spring [L The jar will be broken by the well],
·or a broken wheel at a well [L and the wheel crushed by the cistern; C metaphors of death].
7 ·You will turn back into the dust of the earth again [L The dust will return to the earth as it was],
·but your [L and the] spirit will return to God who gave it [3:21; Gen. 2:7; 3:19].

8 Everything is useless [1:2]!
The ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1] says that everything is useless [1:2].

Conclusion: Honor God

9 The ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1] was ·wise [a wise man/sage] and taught the people ·what he knew [L knowledge]. He ·very carefully thought about [L heard], ·studied [investigated], and set in order many ·wise teachings [L proverbs]. 10 The ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1] ·looked for just the right words [L sought to find words of delight] and to write what is ·dependable [honest] and true.

11 Words from wise people are like ·sharp sticks used to guide animals [goads]. They are like nails that have been driven in firmly. Altogether they are wise teachings that come from ·one Shepherd [or a shepherd]. 12 So be ·careful [warned], my son. ·People are always writing [There is no end to the making of many] books, and too much study ·will make you tired [wearies the body].

13 Now, the end of the matter; everything has been heard:
·Honor [Fear] God [Prov. 1:7] and obey his commands,
because this is ·all people must do [L the whole duty of humanity].
14 God will ·judge everything [L bring every deed into judgment],
even ·what is done in secret [every hidden thing],
the good and the evil.

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12 Remember also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, `I have no pleasure in them.' 2 While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain. 3 In the ...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

12 Have thou mind on thy Creator[a] in the days of thy youth, before that the time of thy torment come, and the years of thy death nigh, of which thou shalt say, Those please not me. (Think thou upon thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before that the time of thy torment come, and the years of thy...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - World English Bible (WEB)

12 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 pleasure in them;”2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;3 in the day when the keepers of the ho...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - The Voice (VOICE)

12 Teacher: And so we come to the end of this musing over life. My advice to you is to remember your Creator, God, while you are young: before life gets hard and the injustice of old age comes upon you—before the years arrive when pleasure feels far out of reach— 2 before the sun and light and the m...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Ode for the Aging12 So remember your Creator in the days of your youth:before the days of misery come, and years draw near when you will say: “I have no pleasure in them”—2 before the sun and light and moonand the stars grow dark,and the clouds dissipate after the rain,3 in the day the keepers of th...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

12 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 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 o...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

12 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 are darkened and the clouds return with[a] the rain; 3 in the day when the guards of ...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - New Living Translation (NLT)

12 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - New Life Version (NLV)

12 Remember also your Maker while you are young, before the days of trouble come and the years when you will say, “I have no joy in them,” 2 before the sun, the light, the moon and the stars are made dark, and clouds return after the rain. 3 This will be the day when the men who watch the house sh...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Seek God in Early Life12 Remember(A) now your Creator in the days of your youth,Before the [a]difficult days come,And the years draw near (B)when you 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;3 I...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

12 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’–2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;3 when the keepers of the house tremble,...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - New International Version (NIV)

12 Remember(A) your Creator in the days of your youth,before the days of trouble(B) come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;3 when the keepers of the house tr...
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Ecclesiastes 12 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

12 Remember your Creator. Remember him while you are still young.Think about him before your times of trouble come. The years will come when you will say, “I don’t find any pleasure in them.”2 That’s when the sunlight will become dark. The moon and the stars will also grow dark. And the clouds will ...
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