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The Blue Letter Bible

Ecclesiastes 12 :: Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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The Twilight of Life
Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:1 -

So remember your Creator in the days of your youth:

Before the days of adversity come,

and the years approach when you will say,

“I have no delight in them”;

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:2 -

before the sun and the light are darkened,

and the moon and the stars,

and the clouds return after[fn] the rain;

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:3 -

on the day when the guardians of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

the women who grind grain cease because they are few,

and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly,

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:4 -

the doors at the street are shut

while the sound of the mill fades;

when one rises at the sound of a bird,

and all the daughters of song grow faint.

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:5 -

Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road;

the almond tree blossoms,

the grasshopper loses its spring,[fn]

and the caper berry has no effect;

for the mere mortal is headed to his eternal home,

and mourners will walk around in the street;

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:6 -

before the silver cord is snapped,[fn]

and the gold bowl is broken,

and the jar is shattered at the spring,

and the wheel is broken into the well;

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:7 -

and the dust returns to the earth as it once was,

and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:8 -

“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile.”

The Teacher’s Objectives and Conclusion
Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:9 -

In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs.

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:10 -

The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately.

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:11 -

The sayings of the wise are like cattle prods, and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails. The sayings are given by one Shepherd.[fn]

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:12 -

But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:13 -

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all[fn] humanity.

Unchecked Copy BoxEcc 12:14 -

For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

CSB Footnotes
Or with
Or grasshopper is weighed down, or grasshopper drags itself along
Alt Hb tradition reads removed
Or by a shepherd
Or is the whole duty of
CSB

Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017, 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers.

Additional information is provided here.

For more information on this translation, see the CSB Preface.

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Ecclesiastes Chapter 12 — Additional Translations: