Chapter 12
Remember Your Creator
1
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before - the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
𐤅𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤀𐤕 𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤊 𐤁𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤓𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤏𐤃 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤉𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤄𐤂𐤉𐤏𐤅 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤉 𐤇𐤐𐤑 𐤁𐤄𐤌
וּזְכֹר֙ אֶת־ בּ֣וֹרְאֶ֔יךָ בִּימֵ֖י בְּחוּרֹתֶ֑יךָ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־ יְמֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ה יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ שָׁנִ֔ים וְהִגִּ֣יעוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמַ֔ר אֵֽין־ לִ֥י חֵֽפֶץ׃ בָהֶ֖ם ū·zə·ḵōr ’eṯ- bō·wr·’e·ḵā bî·mê bə·ḥū·rō·ṯe·ḵā ‘aḏ ’ă·šer lō- yə·mê hā·rā·‘āh yā·ḇō·’ū šā·nîm wə·hig·gî·‘ū ’ă·šer tō·mar ’ên- lî ḥê·p̄eṣ ḇā·hem — WLC · 1
2
before - the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
𐤏𐤃 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤅𐤄𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤓𐤇 𐤅𐤄𐤊𐤅𐤊𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤄𐤏𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤅 𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤄𐤂𐤔𐤌
עַ֠ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־ וְהָא֔וֹר הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ הֶעָבִ֖ים וְשָׁ֥בוּ אַחַ֥ר הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃ ‘aḏ ’ă·šer lō- wə·hā·’ō·wr haš·še·meš wə·hay·yā·rê·aḥ wə·hak·kō·w·ḵā·ḇîm ṯeḥ·šaḵ he·‘ā·ḇîm wə·šā·ḇū ’a·ḥar hag·gā·šem — WLC · 2
3
on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤔𐤉𐤆𐤏𐤅 𐤄𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤀𐤍𐤔𐤉 𐤅𐤄𐤕𐤏𐤅𐤕𐤅 𐤄𐤈𐤇𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤁𐤈𐤋𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤈𐤅 𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤇𐤔𐤊𐤅
בַּיּ֗וֹם שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַבַּ֔יִת שֶׁיָּזֻ֙עוּ֙ הֶחָ֑יִל אַנְשֵׁ֣י וְהִֽתְעַוְּת֖וּ הַטֹּֽחֲנוֹת֙ וּבָטְל֤וּ כִּ֣י מִעֵ֔טוּ הָרֹא֖וֹת בָּאֲרֻבּֽוֹת׃ וְחָשְׁכ֥וּ bay·yō·wm šō·mə·rê hab·ba·yiṯ še·yā·zu·‘ū he·ḥā·yil ’an·šê wə·hiṯ·‘aw·wə·ṯū haṭ·ṭō·ḥă·nō·wṯ ū·ḇā·ṭə·lū kî mi·‘ê·ṭū hā·rō·’ō·wṯ bā·’ă·rub·bō·wṯ wə·ḥā·šə·ḵū — WLC · 3
4
when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,
𐤃𐤋𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤔𐤅𐤒 𐤅𐤎𐤂𐤓𐤅 𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤄𐤈𐤇𐤍𐤄 𐤁𐤔𐤐𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤋𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤄𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤓 𐤊𐤋 𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤉𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤅
דְלָתַ֙יִם֙ בַּשּׁ֔וּק וְסֻגְּר֤וּ ק֣וֹל הַֽטַּחֲנָ֑ה בִּשְׁפַ֖ל וְיָקוּם֙ לְק֣וֹל הַצִּפּ֔וֹר כָּל־ בְּנ֥וֹת הַשִּֽׁיר׃ וְיִשַּׁ֖חוּ ḏə·lā·ṯa·yim baš·šūq wə·sug·gə·rū qō·wl haṭ·ṭa·ḥă·nāh biš·p̄al wə·yā·qūm lə·qō·wl haṣ·ṣip·pō·wr kāl- bə·nō·wṯ haš·šîr wə·yiš·ša·ḥū — WLC · 4
5
[when] [men] fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
𐤂𐤌 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤅 𐤌𐤂𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤇𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤄𐤔𐤒𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤍𐤀𐤑 𐤄𐤇𐤂𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤎𐤕𐤁𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤐𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌𐤅 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤄𐤎𐤐𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤎𐤁𐤁𐤅 𐤁𐤔𐤅𐤒
גַּ֣ם יִרָ֙אוּ֙ מִגָּבֹ֤הַּ וְחַתְחַתִּ֣ים בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ הַשָּׁקֵד֙ וְיָנֵ֤אץ הֶֽחָגָ֔ב וְיִסְתַּבֵּ֣ל הָֽאֲבִיּוֹנָ֑ה וְתָפֵ֖ר כִּֽי־ הָאָדָם֙ הֹלֵ֤ךְ אֶל־ עוֹלָמ֔וֹ בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּפְדִֽים׃ וְסָבְב֥וּ בָשּׁ֖וּק gam yi·rā·’ū mig·gā·ḇō·ah wə·ḥaṯ·ḥat·tîm bad·de·reḵ haš·šā·qêḏ wə·yā·nêṣ he·ḥā·ḡāḇ wə·yis·tab·bêl hā·’ă·ḇî·yō·w·nāh wə·ṯā·p̄êr kî- hā·’ā·ḏām hō·lêḵ ’el- ‘ō·w·lā·mōw bêṯ has·sō·p̄ə·ḏîm wə·sā·ḇə·ḇū ḇå̄š·šūq — WLC · 5
6
[Remember Him] before - the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, [before] the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
𐤏𐤃 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤇𐤁𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤇𐤒 𐤄𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤂𐤋𐤕 𐤅𐤕𐤓𐤑 𐤊𐤃 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤓 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤌𐤁𐤅𐤏 𐤄𐤂𐤋𐤂𐤋 𐤅𐤍𐤓𐤑 𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤁𐤅𐤓
עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ הַכֶּ֔סֶף חֶ֣בֶל יִרְחַק הַזָּהָ֑ב גֻּלַּ֣ת וְתָרֻ֖ץ כַּד֙ וְתִשָּׁ֤בֶר עַל־ הַמַּבּ֔וּעַ הַגַּלְגַּ֖ל וְנָרֹ֥ץ אֶל־ הַבּֽוֹר׃ ‘aḏ ’ă·šer lō- hak·ke·sep̄ ḥe·ḇel yir·ḥaq haz·zā·hāḇ gul·laṯ wə·ṯā·ruṣ kaḏ wə·ṯiš·šā·ḇer ‘al- ham·mab·bū·a‘ hag·gal·gal wə·nā·rōṣ ’el- hab·bō·wr — WLC · 6
7
[before] the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
𐤄𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤁 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤊𐤔𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤍𐤕𐤍𐤄
הֶעָפָ֛ר וְיָשֹׁ֧ב עַל־ הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָ֑ה וְהָר֣וּחַ תָּשׁ֔וּב אֶל־ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נְתָנָֽהּ׃ he·‘ā·p̄ār wə·yā·šōḇ ‘al- hā·’ā·reṣ kə·še·hā·yāh wə·hā·rū·aḥ tā·šūḇ ’el- hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm ’ă·šer nə·ṯā·nāh — WLC · 7
8
“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤄𐤁𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤒𐤅𐤄𐤋𐤕 𐤄𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤁𐤋
הֲבֵ֧ל הֲבָלִ֛ים אָמַ֥ר הַקּוֹהֶ֖לֶת הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃ hă·ḇêl hă·ḇā·lîm ’ā·mar haq·qō·w·he·leṯ hak·kōl hā·ḇel — WLC · 8
The Whole Duty of Man
9
Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤔𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤒𐤄𐤋𐤕 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤋𐤌𐤃 𐤄𐤏𐤌 𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤆𐤍 𐤅𐤇𐤒𐤓 𐤕𐤒𐤍 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤌
וְיֹתֵ֕ר שֶׁהָיָ֥ה קֹהֶ֖לֶת חָכָ֑ם ע֗וֹד לִמַּד־ הָעָ֔ם דַּ֙עַת֙ אֶת־ וְאִזֵּ֣ן וְחִקֵּ֔ר תִּקֵּ֖ן הַרְבֵּֽה׃ מְשָׁלִ֥ים wə·yō·ṯêr še·hā·yāh qō·he·leṯ ḥā·ḵām ‘ō·wḏ lim·maḏ- hā·‘ām da·‘aṯ ’eṯ- wə·’iz·zên wə·ḥiq·qêr tiq·qên har·bêh mə·šā·lîm — WLC · 9
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The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
𐤒𐤄𐤋𐤕 𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤋𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤇𐤐𐤑 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤅𐤊𐤕𐤅𐤁 𐤉𐤔𐤓 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤕
קֹהֶ֔לֶת בִּקֵּ֣שׁ לִמְצֹ֖א חֵ֑פֶץ דִּבְרֵי־ וְכָת֥וּב יֹ֖שֶׁר דִּבְרֵ֥י אֱמֶֽת׃ qō·he·leṯ biq·qêš lim·ṣō ḥê·p̄eṣ diḇ·rê- wə·ḵā·ṯūḇ yō·šer diḇ·rê ’ĕ·meṯ — WLC · 10
11
The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤃𐤓𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤎𐤐𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤍𐤈𐤅𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤊𐤌𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤍𐤕𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤌𐤓𐤏𐤄
דִּבְרֵ֤י חֲכָמִים֙ כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹת אֲסֻפּ֑וֹת בַּעֲלֵ֣י נְטוּעִ֖ים וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹת נִתְּנ֖וּ אֶחָֽד׃ מֵרֹעֶ֥ה diḇ·rê ḥă·ḵā·mîm kad·dā·rə·ḇō·nō·wṯ ’ă·sup·pō·wṯ ba·‘ă·lê nə·ṭū·‘îm ū·ḵə·maś·mə·rō·wṯ nit·tə·nū ’e·ḥāḏ mê·rō·‘eh — WLC · 11
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And by these, my son, {be} further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
𐤌𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤄𐤆𐤄𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤒𐤑 𐤏𐤔𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤎𐤐𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤄𐤂 𐤉𐤂𐤏𐤕 𐤁𐤔𐤓
מֵהֵ֖מָּה בְּנִ֣י וְיֹתֵ֥ר הִזָּהֵ֑ר אֵ֣ין קֵ֔ץ עֲשׂ֨וֹת הַרְבֵּה֙ סְפָרִ֤ים הַרְבֵּ֖ה וְלַ֥הַג יְגִעַ֥ת בָּשָֽׂר׃ mê·hêm·māh bə·nî wə·yō·ṯêr hiz·zā·hêr ’ên qêṣ ‘ă·śō·wṯ har·bêh sə·p̄ā·rîm har·bêh wə·la·haḡ yə·ḡi·‘aṯ bā·śār — WLC · 12
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When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter [is this]: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole [duty] of man.
𐤄𐤊𐤋 𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤀𐤕 𐤎𐤅𐤐 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤓𐤀 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤓 𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤆𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌
הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁמָ֑ע אֶת־ ס֥וֹף דָּבָ֖ר יְרָא֙ הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים וְאֶת־ שְׁמ֔וֹר מִצְוֺתָ֣יו כִּי־ זֶ֖ה כָּל־ הָאָדָֽם׃ hak·kōl niš·mā‘ ’eṯ- sō·wp̄ dā·ḇār yə·rā hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm wə·’eṯ- šə·mō·wr miṣ·wō·ṯāw kî- zeh kāl- hā·’ā·ḏām — WLC · 13
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For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤁𐤀 𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤏𐤋 𐤍𐤏𐤋𐤌 𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤓𐤏
כִּ֤י אֶת־ הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים יָבִ֥א כָּל־ מַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה בְמִשְׁפָּ֖ט עַ֣ל נֶעְלָ֑ם כָּל־ אִם־ ט֖וֹב וְאִם־ רָֽע׃ kî ’eṯ- hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm yā·ḇi kāl- ma·‘ă·śeh ḇə·miš·pāṭ ‘al ne‘·lām kāl- ’im- ṭō·wḇ wə·’im- rā‘ — WLC · 14