| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
| 1Remember 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"; | 1Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"-- |
| 2before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; | 2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; |
| 3in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through windows grow dim; | 3when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; |
| 4and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly. | 4when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; |
| 5Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. | 5when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets. |
| 6Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; | 6Remember him--before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, |
| 7then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. | 7and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. |
| 8"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity!" | 8"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!" |
| 9In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. | 9Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. |
| 10The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. | 10The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. |
| 11The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. | 11The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails--given by one shepherd. |
| 12But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. | 12Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. |
| 13The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. | 13Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. |
| 14For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. | 14For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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