42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
# Chapter 12
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1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
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Before the difficult days come,
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And the years draw near when you say,
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“I have no pleasure in them”:
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2 While the sun and the light,
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The moon and the stars,
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Are not darkened,
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And the clouds do not return after the rain;
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3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
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And the strong men bow down;
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When the grinders cease because they are few,
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And those that look through the windows grow dim;
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4 When the doors are shut in the streets,
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And the sound of grinding is low;
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When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
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And all the daughters of music are brought low.
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5 Also they are afraid of height,
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And of terrors in the way;
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When the almond tree blossoms,
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The grasshopper is a burden,
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And desire fails.
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For man goes to his eternal home,
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And the mourners go about the streets.
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6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
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Or the golden bowl is broken,
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Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
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Or the wheel broken at the well.
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7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
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And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
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8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
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“All is vanity.”
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9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.
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10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.
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11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
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12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
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13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
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Fear God and keep His commandments,
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For this is man’s all.
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14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
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Including every secret thing,
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Whether good or evil. |