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Apoteichisis

The Old Testament

Ecclesiastes 12

ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣΤΗΣ · 12

Brenton 12:1

And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake thee in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

Brenton 12:2

While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain:

Brenton 12:3

in the day wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding women cease because they have become few, and the women looking out at the windows be dark;

Brenton 12:4

and they shall shut the doors in the market-place, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds at the mill; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

Brenton 12:5

and they shall look up, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:

Brenton 12:6

before the silver cord be let go, or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

Brenton 12:7

before the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

Brenton 12:8

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.

Brenton 12:9

And because the Preacher was wise above others, so it was that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

Brenton 12:10

The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, even words of truth.

Brenton 12:11

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

Brenton 12:12

And moreover, my son, guard thyself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Brenton 12:13

Hear the end of the matter, the sum: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.

Brenton 12:14

For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Brenton supplied wording, small capitals, translation notes, Greek wording, and edition-specific verse identifiers are retained. Parallel passages keep each edition's own references. Editions and sources.