Acuérdate, pues, de tu Creador^a en los días de tu juventud,antes que vengan los días malos^b,y se acerquen los años en que digas:No tengo en ellos placer;

9 El Predicador, además de ser sabio, enseñó también sabiduría al pueblo; y ponderó, investigó y compuso muchos proverbios^a. 10 El Predicador trató de encontrar palabras agradables^a, y de escribir correctamente palabras de verdad^b.

11 Las palabras de los sabios^a son como aguijones^b, y como clavos^c bien clavados las de los maestros de colecciones, dadas por un Pastor. 12 Pero además de esto, hijo mío, estate prevenido: el hacer muchos libros no tiene fin^a, y demasiada dedicación a ellos es fatiga del cuerpo^1b.

13 La conclusión, cuando todo se ha oído, esesta:teme a Dios^a y guarda sus mandamientos^b,porque esto concierne a toda persona^c.

^aRemember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the ^bevil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2 before the ^asun 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 ^astoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and ^bthose who look through ¹windows grow dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the ^asound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the ^bdaughters of song will ¹sing softly. 5 Furthermore, ¹men 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 ^ahome while ^bmourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is ¹broken and the ^agolden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the ^adust will return to the earth as it was, and the ^1bspirit will return to ^cGod who gave it. 8 “^aVanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged ^amany proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find ^adelightful words and to write ^bwords of truth correctly.

11 The ^awords of wise men are like ^bgoads, and masters of these collections are like ¹well-driven ^cnails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the ¹writing of ^amany books is endless, and excessive ^bdevotion to books is wearying to the body.

13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: ^afear God and ^bkeep His commandments, because this applies to ^cevery person. 14 For ^aGod will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

^aRemember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the ^bevil days come and the years approach when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the ^asun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 on the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and strong men are ^abent over, the grinders stop working because they are few, and ^bthose who look through ¹windows grow ²dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the ^asound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the ^bdaughters of song will ¹sing softly. 5 Furthermore, people are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal ^ahome while the ^bmourners move around in the street. 6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is ¹broken and the ^agolden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the spring is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the ^adust will return to the earth as it was, and the ^1bspirit will return to ^cGod who gave it. 8 “^aFutility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “all is futility!”

9 In addition to being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out, and arranged ^amany proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find ^adelightful words and to write ^bwords of truth correctly.

11 The ^awords of the wise are like ^1bgoads, and masters of these collections are like driven ^cnails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the ¹writing of ^amany books is endless, and excessive ^bstudy is ²wearying to the body.

13 The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: ^afear God and ^bkeep His commandments, because this applies to ^cevery person. 14 For ^aGod will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.