1Remember also 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; 2before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; 3in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the 1grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened, 4and 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; 5yea, they shall be afraid 2of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper 3shall be a burden, and 4desire shall 5fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6before the silver cord is 6loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it. 8Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity. 9And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he 7pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10The Preacher sought to find out 8acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth. 11The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the 9masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 1210And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 1311This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for 12this is the whole duty of man. 14For God will bring every work into judgment, 13with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.