Ecclesiastes 12

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Cherish your connection with God while you're young, before life's hardships arrive and the years pass, leaving you with no joy in them.

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

Remember Him while the sun still shines and the moon and stars still glow, before they grow dark and the clouds return after the rain.

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 be darkened,

When the guardians of the home tremble and the strong men stoop, when the grinders stop because so few are left, and the vision of those looking out the windows grows dim.

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

When the city gates close and the hum of work fades, he'll awaken at the bird's song, but the joyous melodies will be hushed.

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

When they're afraid of heights, and dangers fill their path, when the almond tree blooms and the grasshopper becomes a burden, when desire fades, it's because a person is going to their eternal home, and mourners fill the streets.

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

Before the thread of life unravels, before the precious vessel of existence shatters, before the jug cracks at the wellspring, or the wheel of life breaks at the reservoir.

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

When our time comes, our bodies will return to the earth, just as they were formed from it. Our souls, however, will journey back to the God who breathed life into us.

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

The teacher declares, "Everything is meaningless, utterly meaningless."

And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

The wise preacher, with great care and attention, continued to educate the people. He diligently searched for and organized numerous insightful sayings.

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

The minister passionately searched for the right words, and what he penned down were honest, truthful words.

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

The insights of the wise provoke thought, like a shepherd's staff guiding the flock, their words are firmly rooted, shared by a single guiding force.

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Listen closely, my child: endless are the books one can write, and constant studying can exhaust you.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

In the end, it all comes down to this: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of every person.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

For God will bring every deed into judgment, even those hidden, whether they are good or evil.