Read the Bible

Remember God in Your Youth

^1 (C1)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the ^(C2)evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them";² before the ^(C1)sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;³ in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men ^(C1)stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and ^(C2)those who look through ^(F1)windows grow dim;⁴ and the doors on the street are shut as the ^(C1)sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the ^(C2)daughters of song will ^(F1)sing softly.⁵ Furthermore, ^(F1)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 ^(C1)home while ^(C2)mourners go about in the street.⁶ Remember Him before the silver cord is ^(F1)broken and the ^(C1)golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;⁷ then the ^(C1)dust will return to the earth as it was, and the ^(F1)(C2)spirit will return to ^(C3)God who gave it.⁸ "^(C1)Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity!"

Purpose of the Preacher

⁹ In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged ^(C1)many proverbs.¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find ^(C1)delightful words and to write ^(C2)words of truth correctly.

¹¹ The ^(C1)words of wise men are like ^(C2)goads, and masters of these collections are like ^(F1)well-driven ^(C3)nails; they are given by one Shepherd.¹² But beyond this, my son, be warned: the ^(F1)writing of ^(C1)many books is endless, and excessive ^(C2)devotion to books is wearying to the body.

¹³ The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: ^(C1)fear God and ^(C2)keep His commandments, because this applies to ^(C3)every person.¹⁴ For ^(C1)God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.