Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

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- Kapitel 12 -

Remember your Creator

Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them:

Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:

When the keepers of ye house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them selues, and the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out by ye windowes:

And the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.

Also they shalbe afraide of the hie thing, and feare shalbe in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grassehopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away: for man goeth to the house of his age, and the mourners goe about in the streete.

Whiles the siluer coarde is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheele broken at the cisterne:

And dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.

Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.

The fear of God is supreme

And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.

The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.

The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.

And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.

Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.

For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.

Remember your Creator

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;”

Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, 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 who look out of the windows are darkened,

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;

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;

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,

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”

The fear of God is supreme

Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

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.

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

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.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.