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Ecclesiastes 12
The book's close opens with one command: remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the decline arrives. What follows is one of Scripture's most extended poems of aging and death, told in riddling images of a failing household and body. Then the frame breaks. A voice steps back to describe the Preacher himself collecting proverbs, and the whole work lands on a single summary verse.
- 1
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
- 2
Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
- 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 who look out of the windows are darkened,
- 4
and 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;
- 5
yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets;
- 6
before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
- 7
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
- 8
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”
- 9
Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
- 10
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
- 11
The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
- 12
Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
- 13
This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
- 14
For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
- 1
Y ACUÉRDATE de tu Criador en los días de tu juventud, antes que vengan los malos días, y lleguen los años, de los cuales digas, No tengo en ellos contentamiento;
- 2
Antes que se oscurezca el sol, y la luz, y la luna y las estrellas, y las nubes se tornen tras la lluvia:
- 3
Cuando temblarán los guardas de la casa, y se encorvarán los hombres fuertes, y cesarán las muelas, porque han disminuído, y se oscurecerán los que miran por las ventanas;
- 4
Y las puertas de afuera se cerrarán, por la bajeza de la voz de la muela; y levantaráse á la voz del ave, y todas las hijas de canción serán humilladas;
- 5
Cuando también temerán de lo alto, y los tropezones en el camino; y florecerá el almendro, y se agravará la langosta, y perderáse el apetito: porque el hombre va á la casa de su siglo, y los endechadores andarán en derredor por la plaza:
- 6
Antes que la cadena de plata se quiebre, y se rompa el cuenco de oro, y el cántaro se quiebre junto á la fuente, y la rueda sea rota sobre el pozo;
- 7
Y el polvo se torne á la tierra, como era, y el espíritu se vuelva á Dios que lo dió.
- 8
Vanidad de vanidades, dijo el Predicador, todo vanidad.
- 9
Y cuanto más sabio fué el Predicador, tanto más enseñó sabiduría al pueblo; é hizo escuchar, é hizo escudriñar, y compuso muchos proverbios.
- 10
Procuró el Predicador hallar palabras agradables, y escritura recta, palabras de verdad.
- 11
Las palabras de los sabios son como aguijones; y como clavos hincados, las de los maestros de las congregaciones, dadas por un Pastor.
- 12
Ahora, hijo mío, á más de esto, sé avisado. No hay fin de hacer muchos libros; y el mucho estudio aflicción es de la carne.
- 13
El fin de todo el discurso oído es este : Teme á Dios, y guarda sus mandamientos; porque esto es el todo del hombre.
- 14
Porque Dios traerá toda obra á juicio, el cual se hará sobre toda cosa oculta, buena ó mala.
The house that fails, then the verdict
The trembling keepers, bowing strong men, ceasing grinders, dimmed windows (vv.3-4) read as a body breaking down; the silver cord, golden bowl, and shattered pitcher (v.6) are death itself. Dust returns to earth, spirit to God (v.7).
The epilogue (vv.9-14) names the wise teacher's labor and warns that of making many books there is no end, before resolving everything to: fear God, keep his commandments, expect judgment.
Context layers
Keep these closed by default and open them only when you want more context.
- Psalms 55:22Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
- Proverbs 12:25Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
- Matthew 6:34Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
- Philippians 4:6Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
- 1 Peter 5:7Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
- Genesis 3:10Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
- Genesis 9:2Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
- Genesis 26:7Related through the topic "Anxiety in the Bible".
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