Ecclesiastes · Young's Literal Translation
Ecclesiastes 12 Young's Literal Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 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.'
1 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 While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.
2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 who look out of the windows are darkened,
4 And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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 Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
5 yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets;
6 While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
6 before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
7 And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”
9 And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
9 Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, words of truth.
10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
11 Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.
11 The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
13 This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
Cross references (14)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Lamentations 3:27; Ecclesiastes 11:8; Psalm 71:17–18; Proverbs 22:6; Luke 18:16
- 2 Isaiah 5:30; 1 Samuel 4:15; 1 Samuel 4:18; 1 Samuel 3:2; Ezekiel 32:7–8
- 3 Psalm 90:9–10; Psalm 102:23; Genesis 48:10; 1 Samuel 3:2; Zechariah 8:4
- 4 Jeremiah 25:10; 2 Samuel 19:35; Revelation 18:22
- 5 Job 17:13; Jeremiah 9:17–20; Job 30:23; Proverbs 16:31; Psalm 71:18
- 6 Zechariah 4:2–3
- 7 Daniel 12:2; Ecclesiastes 3:20–21; Psalm 146:4; Genesis 3:19; Job 34:14–15
- 8 Ecclesiastes 1:2; Ecclesiastes 8:8; Ecclesiastes 6:12; Ecclesiastes 4:4; Psalm 62:9
- 9 Proverbs 1:1; 1 Kings 4:32; Proverbs 25:1; 1 Kings 10:8; Proverbs 10:1
- 10 Colossians 1:5; 1 Timothy 1:15; Proverbs 16:21–24; Proverbs 1:1–6; Proverbs 8:6–10
- 11 Jeremiah 23:29; Acts 2:37; Hebrews 4:12; Ezekiel 34:23; John 3:10
- 12 Ecclesiastes 1:18; John 21:25; 2 Peter 1:19–21; John 5:39; 1 Kings 4:32
- 13 Deuteronomy 10:12; Micah 6:8; Deuteronomy 6:2; Psalms 111:10–112:1; Psalm 145:19
- 14 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:16; Matthew 12:36; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Matthew 10:26
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall grow heavy, and the caper-berry shall be scattered abroad.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)