^aRemember thoughtfully also your Creator in the days of your youth for you are not your own, but His, before the ^bevil days come or the years draw near when you will say of physical pleasures, “I have no enjoyment and delight in them”; 2+@Sam 19:35 2 before the ^asun 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) ^abow themselves, and the grinders (molar teeth) cease because they are few, and ^bthose (eyes) who look through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors (lips) are shut in the streets and the ^asound 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 ^bdaughters 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 ¹caperberry (desire, appetite) fails. For man goes to his eternal ^ahome and the ^bmourners go about the streets and market places. Job 17:13 6 Earnestly remember your Creator before the silver cord of life is broken, or the ^agolden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher at the fountain is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the ^adust out of which God made man’s body will return to the earth as it was, and the ^bspirit will return to ^cGod who gave it. 8 “^aVanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All that is done without God’s guidance is vanity (futility) .” Eccl 1:2; Rom 8:20

9 Furthermore, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered and searched out and arranged ^amany proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find ^adelightful words, even to write correctly ^bwords of truth.

11 The ^awords of the wise are like prodding ^bgoads, and these collected sayings are firmly fixed in the mind like well-driven ^cnails; ¹they are given by one Shepherd. Ezek 37:24 12 But beyond this my son, about going further than the words given by one Shepherd, be warned: the writing of ^amany books is endless so do not believe everything you read, and excessive ^bstudy and devotion to books is wearying to the body.

13 When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: ^afear God worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God and ^bkeep His commandments, for this applies to ^cevery person. 14 For ^aGod will bring every act to judgment, every hidden and secret thing, whether it is good or evil. Matt 12:36; Acts 17:30, 31; Rom 2:16; 1+@Cor 4:5