1 Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them:
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not darkened, nor theBefore you come to a continual misery: for when the clouds remain after the rain, man's grief is increased.clouds return after the rain:
3 In the day when theThe hands which keep the body.keepers of the house shall tremble, and theThe legs.strong men shall bow themselves, and theThe teeth.grinders cease because they are few, and those thatThe eyes.look out of the windows shall be darkened,
4 And theThe lips or mouth.doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of theWhen the jaws will scarce open and not be able to chew any more.grinding shall be low, and he shall rise up at the voice of theHe will not be able to sleep.bird, and all theThat is the wind pipes or the ears will be deaf and not able to hear singing.daughters of music shall be brought low;
5 Also [when] they shall be afraid of [that which is]To climb high because of their weakness, or they stoop down as though they were afraid lest anything should hide them.high, and fears [shall be] in theThey will tremble as they go, as though they were afraid.way, and the almond tree shallTheir head will be as white as the blossoms of an almond tree.flourish, and theThey will be able to bear nothing.grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Or ever theMeaning, the marrow of the backbone and the sinews.silver cord shall be loosed, or the goldenThe little skin that covers the brain, which is in colour like gold.bowl be broken, or theThat is, the veins.pitcher be broken at theMeaning the liver.fountain, or theWhich is the head.wheel broken at theThat is, the heart out of which the head draws the powers of life.cistern.
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and theThe soul unconsciously goes either to joy or torment, and sleeps not as the wicked imagine.spirit shall return to God who gave it.
8 Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.
9 And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.
10 The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.
11 The words of the wise [are] as goads, and as nailsWhich are well applied by the ministers, whom he calls masters.fastened [by] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from oneThat is by God.shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making manyThese things cannot be comprehended in books or learned by study, but God must instruct your heart that you may only know that wisdom is the true happiness and the way to it is to fear God.books [there is] no end; and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.
14 For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.
