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¹ Remember also your Creator in days of your youth, || While that the evil days do not come, || Nor the years have arrived, that you say, || "I have no pleasure in them."² While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, || And the moon, and the stars, || And the thick clouds returned after the rain.³ In the day that keepers of the house tremble, || And men of strength have bowed themselves, || And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,⁴ And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, || And [one] rises at the voice of the bird, || And all daughters of song are bowed down.⁵ Also of that which is high they are afraid, || And of the low places in the way, || And the almond-tree is despised, || And the grasshopper has become a burden, || And want is increased, || For man is going to his perpetual home, || And the mourners have gone around through the street.⁶ While that the silver cord is not removed, || And the golden bowl broken, || And the pitcher broken by the fountain, || And the wheel broken at the well.⁷ And the dust returns to the earth as it was, || And the spirit returns to God who gave it.

⁸ Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.⁹ And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out—he made right many allegories.¹⁰ The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and [that] written [by] the upright—words of truth.¹¹ Words of the wise [are] as the goads, and as nails planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one Shepherd.¹² And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many scrolls has no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.

¹³ The end of the whole matter let us hear: "Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.¹⁴ For every work God brings into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad."