| 1 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 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 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 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 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 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 and the dust
returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave
it. 8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity. 9 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 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was
written uprightly, even words of truth. 11 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 And
furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and
much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 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 For God will bring every work into
judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be
evil.
Genesis - Public
Domain
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