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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Ecclesiastes 12 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ecclesiastes/12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/ecclesiastes/12-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Ecclesiastes 12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ecclesiastes/11.htm" title="Ecclesiastes 11">◄</a> Ecclesiastes 12 <a href="../songs/1.htm" title="Song of Solomon 1">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/ecclesiastes/12.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Remember Your Creator</p><p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>So remember your Creator during your youth!</p> <p class="poetry2">Otherwise, troublesome days will come</p> <p class="poetry2">and years will creep up on you when you’ll say,</p> <p class="poetry2">“I find no pleasure in them,”</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Otherwise, when the sun, daylight, moon, or stars turn dark,</p> <p class="poetry2">or when clouds fail to return after the rain—</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>when that day comes, the palace guards will tremble,</p> <p class="poetry2">strong men will stoop down,</p> <p class="poetry2">women grinders will cease because they are few,</p> <p class="poetry2">and the sight of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="12:3 The Heb. lacks the sight of">a</a></span> those who peer through the lattice will grow dim.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>The doors to the street will be shut</p> <p class="poetry2">when the sound of grinding decreases,</p> <p class="poetry2">when one wakes up at the song of a bird,</p> <p class="poetry2">and all of the singing women are silenced.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>At that time they will fear climbing<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="12:5 The Heb. lacks climbing">b</a></span> heights</p> <p class="poetry2">and dangers along the road</p> <p class="poetry2">while the almond tree will blossom,</p> <p class="poetry2">and the grasshopper is weighed down.</p> <p class="poetry2">Desire will cease,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="12:5 Lit. The caper berry will have no effect">c</a></span> </p> <p class="poetry2">because the person goes to his eternal home,</p> <p class="poetry2">and mourners will gather in the marketplace.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>When the silver cord is severed,</p> <p class="poetry2">the golden vessel is broken,</p> <p class="poetry2">the pitcher is shattered at the fountain,</p> <p class="poetry2">and the wheel is broken at the cistern,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>then man’s<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="12:7 The Heb. lacks man’s">d</a></span> dust will go back to the earth,</p> <p class="poetry2">returning to what it was,</p> <p class="poetry2">and the spirit<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="12:7 Or the breath of life">e</a></span> will return to the God who gave it.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>“Utterly pointless,” says the Teacher.</p> <p class="poetry2">“Everything is pointless.”</p> <p class="heading">Conclusions</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Moreover, besides being wise himself, the Teacher taught people what he had learned by listening, making inquiries, and composing many proverbs. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>The Teacher searched to find appropriate expressions, and what is written here<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="12:10 The Heb. lacks here">f</a></span> is right and truthful.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Sayings from the wise are like cattle prods and well fastened nails; this<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="12:11 The Heb. lacks this">g</a></span> masterful collection was given by one shepherd. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>So learn from them, my son. There is no end to the crafting of many books, and too much study wearies the body.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Let the conclusion of all of these thoughts be heard:</p> <p class="poetry2">Fear God and obey his commandments,</p> <p class="poetry2">for this is what it means to be human.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/12-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>For God will judge every deed,</p> <p class="poetry2">along with every secret,</p> <p class="poetry2">whether good or evil.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 12:3 The Heb. lacks <i>the sight of</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 12:5 The Heb. lacks <i>climbing</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 12:5 Lit. <i>The caper berry will have no effect</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 12:7 The Heb. lacks <i>man’s</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 12:7 Or <i>the breath of life</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 12:10 The Heb. lacks <i>here</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 12:11 The Heb. lacks <i>this</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../ecclesiastes/11.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ecclesiastes 11"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ecclesiastes 11" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../songs/1.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Song of Solomon 1"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Song of Solomon 1" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/ecclesiastes/12-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script></div></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script></div></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>