Ecclesiastes 12 · קהלת

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

before the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain:

in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are dimmed,

and the doors are shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding is low, and one starts up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low;

when they are also afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond tree blossoms, and the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caperberry fails; because the man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets;

before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is shattered, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, 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 Qohelet; all is vanity.

And besides being wise, Qohelet also taught the people knowledge; for he weighed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

Qohelet sought to find out acceptable words: and words of truth written in proper form.

The words of the wise are like spurs, and like nails well driven in are the sayings of the masters of collections; they are given by one shepherd.

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

The end of the matter, when all is said and done: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for that is the whole duty of man.

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