¹ Remember your Creator in the days of your youth
    before the bad times come
and the years draw near when you will say,
    “I take no pleasure in them”;
² before the sun and the light of day
    give way to darkness,
before the moon and the stars grow dim
    and the clouds return after the rain;
^3 [a]when the guardians of the house tremble
    and the strong men are bent over,
and the women who grind the meal
    cease working because they are few in number,
and those who look through the windows
    realize that their eyesight is failing;
⁴ when the doors to the street are shut
    and the sound of grinding begins to fade,
when one waits to hear the chirping of a bird,
    but all the songbirds are silent;
⁵ when one is afraid of heights
    and is concerned about dangers on the streets.

Remember him—when the almond tree blossoms
    and the grasshopper is sluggish
    and desire is no longer stirred,
and you return to your eternal home
    while the mourners assemble in the streets.
⁶ Remember him—before the silver cord is snapped
    or the golden bowl is broken
or the pitcher is shattered at the spring
    or the wheel is broken at the well
⁷ and the dust returns to the earth from which it came
    and the spirit returns to God^[b] who gave it.

⁸ Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth;
    all things are vanity.

¹³ This is the end of my teaching.
    All has been heard.
Fear God^[c] and keep his commandments,
    for that is the responsibility of everyone.
¹⁴ For God will bring to judgment all of our deeds^[d]
    and reveal all of our secrets,
    whether good or bad.