1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Ecclesiastes 12
1 The Creator is to be remembered in due time. 8 The preacher's care to edify. 13 The fear of God is the chief antidote of vanity.
12:1
Remember 2142 also your Creator 1254a in the days 3117 of your youth 979, before 5704 834 3808 the evil 7463a days 3117 come 935 and the years 8141 draw 5060 near 5060 when 834 you will say 559, “I have 369 no 369 delight 2656 in them”;
12:2
before 5704 834 3808 the sun 8121 and the light 216, the moon 3394 and the stars 3556 are darkened 2821, and clouds 5645 return 7725 after 310 the rain 1653;
12:3
in the day 3117 that the watchmen 8104 of the house 1004 tremble 2111, and mighty 2428 men 376 stoop 5791, the grinding 2912 ones stand 988 idle 988 because 3588 they are few 4591, and those who look 7200 through windows 699 grow 2821 dim 2821;
12:4
and the doors 1817 on the street 7784 are shut 5462 as the sound 6963 of the grinding 2913 mill 2913 is low 8217, and one will arise 6965 at the sound 6963 of the bird 6833, and all 3605 the daughters 1323 of song 7892a will sing 7817 softly 7817.
12:5
Furthermore 1571, men are afraid 3372a of a high 1364 place and of terrors 2849 on the road 1870; the almond 8247 tree 8247 blossoms 5340b, the grasshopper 2284 drags 5445 himself along, and the caperberry 35 is ineffective 6565a. For man 120 goes 1980 to his eternal 5769 home 1004 while mourners 5594 go 5437 about 5437 in the street 7784.
12:6
[Remember Him] before 5704 834 3808 the silver 3701 cord 2256a is broken 7576 and the golden 2091 bowl 1543 is crushed 7533, the pitcher 3537 by the well 4002 is shattered 7665 and the wheel 1534 at the cistern 953a is crushed 7533;
12:7
then the dust 6083 will return 7725 to the earth 776 as it was, and the spirit 7307 will return 7725 to God 430 who 834 gave 5414 it.
12:8
“Vanity 1892 of vanities 1892,” says 559 the Preacher 6953, “all 3605 is vanity 1892!”
12:9
¶ In addition 3148 to being 1961 a wise 2450 man 2450, the Preacher 6953 also 5750 taught 3925 the people 5971a knowledge 1847; and he pondered 239, searched 2713 out and arranged 8626 many 7235a proverbs 4912.
12:10
The Preacher 6953 sought 1245 to find 4672 delightful 2656 words 1697 and to write 3789 words 1697 of truth 571 correctly 3476.
12:11
¶ The words 1697 of wise 2450 men 2450 are like goads 1861b, and masters 1167 of [these] collections 627 are like well-driven 5193 nails 4548; they are given 5414 by one 259 Shepherd 7462a.
12:12
But beyond 3148 this 1992a, my son 1121, be warned 2094b: the writing 6213a of many 7235a books 5612 is endless 7093 369, and excessive 3854 devotion 3854 [to books] is wearying 3024 to the body 1320.
12:13
¶ The conclusion 5490 1697, when all 3605 has been heard 8085, [is]: fear 3372a God 430 and keep 8104 His commandments 4687, because 3588 this 2088 [applies to] every 3605 person 120.
12:14
For God 430 will bring 935 every 3605 act 4639 to judgment 4941, everything 3605 which is hidden 5956, whether 518 it is good 2896a or evil 7451a.
