Ecclesiastes 12 - International Standard Version (ISV)

Remember Your Creator

12 So remember your Creator during your youth!
Otherwise, troublesome days will come
and years will creep up on you when you’ll say,
“I find no pleasure in them,”
2 Otherwise, when the sun, daylight, moon, or stars turn dark,
or when clouds fail to return after the rain—
3 when that day comes, the palace guards will tremble,
strong men will stoop down,
women grinders will cease because they are few,
and the sight of[a] those who peer through the lattice will grow dim.
4 The doors to the street will be shut
when the sound of grinding decreases,
when one wakes up at the song of a bird,
and all of the singing women are silenced.
5 At that time they will fear climbing[b] heights
and dangers along the road
while the almond tree will blossom,
and the grasshopper is weighed down.
Desire will cease,[c]
because the person goes to his eternal home,
and mourners will gather in the marketplace.
6 When the silver cord is severed,
the golden vessel is broken,
the pitcher is shattered at the fountain,
and the wheel is broken at the cistern,
7 then man’s[d] dust will go back to the earth,
returning to what it was,
and the spirit[e] will return to the God who gave it.

8 “Utterly pointless,” says the Teacher.
“Everything is pointless.”

Conclusions

9 Moreover, besides being wise himself, the Teacher taught people what he had learned by listening, making inquiries, and composing many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find appropriate expressions, and what is written here[f] is right and truthful.

11 Sayings from the wise are like cattle prods and well fastened nails; this[g] masterful collection was given by one shepherd. 12 So learn from them, my son. There is no end to the crafting of many books, and too much study wearies the body.

13 Let the conclusion of all of these thoughts be heard:

Fear God and obey his commandments,
for this is what it means to be human.
14 For God will judge every deed,
along with every secret,
whether good or evil.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:3 The Heb. lacks the sight of
  2. Ecclesiastes 12:5 The Heb. lacks climbing
  3. Ecclesiastes 12:5 Lit. The caper berry will have no effect
  4. Ecclesiastes 12:7 The Heb. lacks man’s
  5. Ecclesiastes 12:7 Or the breath of life
  6. Ecclesiastes 12:10 The Heb. lacks here
  7. Ecclesiastes 12:11 The Heb. lacks this

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Ecclesiastes 12 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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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Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly12 So remember[a] your Creator in the days of your youth—before[b] the difficult[c] days come,and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;2 before the sun and the light[d] of the moon and the stars grow dark,and the cloud...
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