| Holman Christian Standard Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1So remember your Creator in the days of your youth: Before the days of adversity come, and the years approach when you will say," I have no delight in them"; | 1Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; |
| 2before the sun and the light are darkened, and the moon and the stars, and the clouds return after the rain; | 2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, |
| 3on the day when the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, the women who grind cease because they are few, and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly, | 3in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, |
| 4the doors at the street are shut while the sound of the mill fades; when one rises at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song grow faint. | 4and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— |
| 5Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry has no effect; for man is headed to his eternal home, and mourners will walk around in the street; | 5they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— |
| 6before the silver cord is snapped, and the gold bowl is broken, and the jar is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken into the well; | 6before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, |
| 7and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." | 7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. |
| 8Absolute futility," says the Teacher. "Everything is futile." | 8Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. |
| 9In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs. | 9Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. |
| 10The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately. | 10The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. |
| 11The sayings of the wise are like goads, and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails. The sayings are given by one Shepherd. | 11The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. |
| 12But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body. | 12My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. |
| 13When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity. | 13The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. |
| 14For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil. | 14For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. |
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