1Remember 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 ; 2before the sun , and the light, and the moon , and the stars , are darkened , and the clouds return after the rain ; 3in 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 , 4and 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 ; 5yea , 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 : 6before 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, 7and the dust returneth to the earth as it was , and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it .
The Vanity of Life
8Vanity of vanities , saith the Preacher ; all is vanity . 9And further , because the Preacher was wise , he still taught the people knowledge ; yea, he pondered , and sought out , and set in order many proverbs . 10The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words , and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth. 11The 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 . 12And furthermore, my son , be admonished : of making many books there is no end ; and much study is a weariness of the flesh . 13This is the end of the matter ; all hath been heard : Fear God, and keep his commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man . 14For God will bring every work into judgment , with every hidden thing , whether it be good , or whether it be evil .