the Week of Proper 2 / Ordinary 7
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American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the [a]grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened, 4 and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low; 5 yea, they shall be afraid [b]of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper [c]shall be a burden, and [d]desire shall [e]fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 before the silver cord is [f]loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity. 9 And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he [g]pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find out [h]acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the [i]masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 [j]And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 [k]This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for [l]this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, [m]with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
