Add parallel Print Page Options

Chapter 12

Remember Your Creator . . .

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”;
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;
[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;
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;
when one is afraid of heights
    and is concerned about dangers on the streets.

And You Return to Your Eternal Home

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.
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
and the dust returns to the earth from which it came
    and the spirit returns to God[b] who gave it.

Final Editor’s Note

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

In addition to his wisdom, Qoheleth taught the people knowledge, having weighed, studied, and arranged many proverbs. 10 Qoheleth sought to express his thoughts in a pleasing way and to convey truths with precision.

11 The sayings of the wise are as sharp as goads; like spikes firmly positioned are the lessons offered by a single shepherd. 12 In regard to anything beyond these, my child, beware. There is no end to the writing of many books, and extensive study results in a weariness of the flesh.

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.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:3 The usual interpretation is this: the guardians: the hands; the strong men: the legs; the grind[ers] . . . and those who look through the windows: the teeth and eyes; the doors: the lips; grinding: the mouth. Next there is reference to the failure of hearing; the blossoming of the almond tree: white hair; the grasshopper: sexual vigor.
  2. Ecclesiastes 12:7 The dust returns to the earth . . . and the spirit returns to God: the part of human beings that is earthly (dust) returns to earth, but the part that comes from God (spirit) returns to God who gave it—which foreshadows the continuation of life with God.
  3. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Fear God: reverence for God is the basis of wisdom (see Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7; 9:10) as well as its content (see Job 28:28) and the responsibility of everyone.
  4. Ecclesiastes 12:14 God will bring to judgment all of our deeds: see Eccl 3:17; 8:12-13; 11:9 and note; Mt 12:36; 1 Cor 3:12-15; 2 Cor 5:9-10; Heb 4:12-13.
    Thus, at the end of this search, human beings are, as it were, liberated from false religious efforts as well as all pessimism. They discover that they are worth more than what they can possess and more than the situations that they wish to dominate. In the end, conscious of their limits, they do not rebel but learn to accept a true joy without any illusions. Abandoning all thoughts of vindication or fear, they adore the mystery of God with human freedom. The path to hope becomes possible.