1  Remember then 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';

1  And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake thee in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

1  Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, “These do not please me.”

2  Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

2  While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain

2  Before life ebbs, beauty fades, fortune fails, and poverty returns after prosperity;

3  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 shall be darkened in the windows,

3  when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened.

3  In the day when the legs tremble and the arms weaken, and the teeth chew no more because they are few, and the eyes are dimmed,

4  And the doors shall be shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding is low; and one shall start up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5  Also when 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 drag itself along, and the caperberry shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets;

6  Before the silver cord is snapped asunder, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel falleth shattered, into the pit;

6  before the silver cord be let go, or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

6  Remember him before the silver cord is cut off and the golden bowl is broken and the pitcher is broken at the fountain or the wheel is broken at the cistern,

7  And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

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

8  Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; all is vanity.

9  And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

9  And because the Preacher was wise above others, so it was that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

9  And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables.

10  Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

10  The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, even words of truth.

10  He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth.

11  The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd.

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

12  You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh.

12  Furthermore, my son, take heed; of writing many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13  The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man.

13  Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man.

14  For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

14  And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil.