Read the Bible

Remember God in Your Youth

^1 (C1)Remember thoughtfully also your Creator in the days of your youth for you are not your own, but His, before the ^(C2)evil days come or the years draw near when you will say of physical pleasures, "I have no enjoyment and delight in them"; ^(VR1)2 before the ^(C1)sun and the light, and the moon and the stars are darkened by impaired vision, and the clouds of depression return after the rain of tears;³ in the day when the keepers of the house (hands, arms) tremble, and the strong men (feet, knees) ^(C1)bow themselves, and the grinders (molar teeth) cease because they are few, and ^(C2)those (eyes) who look through the windows grow dim;⁴ when the doors (lips) are shut in the streets and the ^(C1)sound of the grinding of the teeth is low, and one rises at the sound of a bird and the crowing of a rooster, and all the ^(C2)daughters of music (voice, ears) sing softly.⁵ Furthermore, they are afraid of a high place and of dangers on the road; the almond tree (hair) blossoms white, and the grasshopper (a little thing) is a burden, and the ^(F1)caperberry (desire, appetite) fails. For man goes to his eternal ^(C1)home and the ^(C2)mourners go about the streets and market places. ^(VR1)6 Earnestly remember your Creator before the silver cord of life is broken, or the ^(C1)golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher at the fountain is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;⁷ then the ^(C1)dust out of which God made man's body will return to the earth as it was, and the ^(C2)spirit will return to ^(C3)God who gave it.⁸ "^(C1)Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "All that is done without God's guidance is vanity (futility)." ^(VR1)

Purpose of the Preacher

⁹ Furthermore, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered and searched out and arranged ^(C1)many proverbs.¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find ^(C1)delightful words, even to write correctly ^(C2)words of truth.

¹¹ The ^(C1)words of the wise are like prodding ^(C2)goads, and these collected sayings are firmly fixed in the mind like well-driven ^(C3)nails; ^(F1)they are given by one Shepherd. ^(VR1)12 But beyond this my son, about going further than the words given by one Shepherd, be warned: the writing of ^(C1)many books is endless so do not believe everything you read, and excessive ^(C2)study and devotion to books is wearying to the body.

¹³ When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: ^(C1)fear God worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God and ^(C2)keep His commandments, for this applies to ^(C3)every person.¹⁴ For ^(C1)God will bring every act to judgment, every hidden and secret thing, whether it is good or evil. ^(VR1)