12:1   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 delight in them";

12:2  before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars become dark, and clouds return after the rain;

12:3  in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they dwindle in number, and those who look through windows grow dim;

12:4  and the doors on the street remain shut as the sound of the grinding mill seems low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly.

12:5  Furthermore, men have fear of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry becomes ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.

12:6  Remember Him before the silver cord breaks and the golden bowl crushes, the pitcher by the well shatters and the wheel at the cistern crushes;

12:7  then the dust will return to the earth as it existed formerly, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

12:8  " Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all seems vanity!"

12:9  In addition to becoming a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs.

12:10  The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.

12:11  The words of wise men resemble goads, and masters of these collections resemble well-driven nails; they come from one Shepherd.

12:12  But beyond this, my son, take warning: the writing of many books seems endless, and excessive devotion to books wearies the body.

12:13  The conclusion, when we have heard it consists of the following: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.

12:14  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which you have hidden, whether it has come from good or evil motives.