| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them"; | 1So remember your Creator in the days of your youth: Before the days of adversity come, and the years approach when you will say," I have no delight in them"; |
| 2before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; | 2before the sun and the light are darkened, and the moon and the stars, and the clouds return after the rain; |
| 3in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through windows grow dim; | 3on the day when the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, the women who grind cease because they are few, and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly, |
| 4and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly. | 4the doors at the street are shut while the sound of the mill fades; when one rises at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song grow faint. |
| 5Furthermore, men 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 home while mourners go about in the street. | 5Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry has no effect; for man is headed to his eternal home, and mourners will walk around in the street; |
| 6Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; | 6before the silver cord is snapped, and the gold bowl is broken, and the jar is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken into the well; |
| 7then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. | 7and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." |
| 8"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity!" | 8Absolute futility," says the Teacher. "Everything is futile." |
| 9In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. | 9In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs. |
| 10The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. | 10The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately. |
| 11The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. | 11The sayings of the wise are like goads, and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails. The sayings are given by one Shepherd. |
| 12But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. | 12But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body. |
| 13The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. | 13When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity. |
| 14For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. | 14For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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