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1. Remember your Creator while you are young, before the days of trouble come and the years when you say, "I find no pleasure in them."
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1. Remember H2142 now H853 thy Creator H1254 in the days H3117 of thy youth H979 , while H5704 H834 the evil H7451 days H3117 come H935 not H3808 , nor the years H8141 draw nigh H5060 , when H834 thou shalt say H559 , I have no H369 pleasure H2656 in them;
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2. When you get old, the light from the sun, moon, and stars will grow dark; the rain clouds will never seem to go away.
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2. While H5704 H834 the sun H8121 , or the light H216 , or the moon H3394 , or the stars H3556 , be not H3808 darkened H2821 , nor the clouds H5645 return H7725 after H310 the rain H1653 :
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3. At that time your arms will shake and your legs will become weak. Your teeth will fall out so you cannot chew, and your eyes will not see clearly.
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3. In the day H3117 when the keepers H8104 of the house H1004 shall tremble H7945 H2111 , and the strong H2428 men H376 shall bow themselves H5791 , and the grinders H2912 cease H988 because H3588 they are few H4591 , and those that look H7200 out of the windows H699 be darkened H2821 ,
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4. Your ears will be deaf to the noise in the streets, and you will barely hear the millstone grinding grain. You'll wake up when a bird starts singing, but you will barely hear singing.
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4. And the doors H1817 shall be shut H5462 in the streets H7784 , when the sound H6963 of the grinding H2913 is low H8213 , and he shall rise up H6965 at the voice H6963 of the bird H6833 , and all H3605 the daughters H1323 of music H7892 shall be brought low H7817 ;
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5. You will fear high places and will be afraid to go for a walk. Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree. You will limp along like a grasshopper when you walk. Your appetite will be gone. Then you will go to your everlasting home, and people will go to your funeral.
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5. Also H1571 when they shall be afraid H3372 of that which is high H4480 H1364 , and fears H2849 shall be in the way H1870 , and the almond tree H8247 shall flourish H5006 , and the grasshopper H2284 shall be a burden H5445 , and desire H35 shall fail H6565 : because H3588 man H120 goeth H1980 to H413 his long H5769 home H1004 , and the mourners H5594 go about H5437 the streets H7784 :
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6. Soon your life will snap like a silver chain or break like a golden bowl. You will be like a broken pitcher at a spring, or a broken wheel at a well.
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6. Or H5704 ever H834 H3808 the silver H3701 cord H2256 be loosed H7368 , or the golden H2091 bowl H1543 be broken H7533 , or the pitcher H3537 be broken H7665 at H5921 the fountain H4002 , or the wheel H1534 broken H7533 at H413 the cistern H953 .
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7. You will turn back into the dust of the earth again, but your spirit will return to God who gave it.
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7. Then shall the dust H6083 return H7725 to H5921 the earth H776 as it was H7945 H1961 : and the spirit H7307 shall return H7725 unto H413 God H430 who H834 gave H5414 it.
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8. Everything is useless! The Teacher says that everything is useless.
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8. Vanity H1892 of vanities H1892 , saith H559 the preacher H6953 ; all H3605 is vanity H1892 .
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9. The Teacher was very wise and taught the people what he knew. He very carefully thought about, studied, and set in order many wise teachings.
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9. And moreover H3148 , because the preacher H6953 was H7945 H1961 wise H2450 , he still H5750 taught H3925 H853 the people H5971 knowledge H1847 ; yea , he gave good heed H238 , and sought out H2713 , and set in order H8626 many H7235 proverbs H4912 .
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10. The Teacher looked for just the right words to write what is dependable and true.
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10. The preacher H6953 sought H1245 to find out H4672 acceptable H2656 words H1697 : and that which was written H3789 was upright H3476 , even words H1697 of truth H571 .
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11. Words from wise people are like sharp sticks used to guide animals. They are like nails that have been driven in firmly. Altogether they are wise teachings that come from one Shepherd.
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11. The words H1697 of the wise H2450 are as goads H1861 , and as nails H4930 fastened H5193 by the masters H1167 of assemblies H627 , which are given H5414 from one shepherd H4480 H7462 H259 .
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12. So be careful, my son, about other teachings. People are always writing books, and too much study will make you tired.
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12. And further H3148 , by these H4480 H1992 , my son H1121 , be admonished H2094 : of making H6213 many H7235 books H5612 there is no H369 end H7093 ; and much H7235 study H3854 is a weariness H3024 of the flesh H1320 .
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13. Now, everything has been heard, so I give my final advice: Honor God and obey his commands, because this is all people must do.
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13. Let us hear H8085 the conclusion H5490 of the whole H3605 matter H1697 : Fear H3372 H853 God H430 , and keep H8104 his commandments H4687 : for H3588 this H2088 is the whole H3605 duty of man H120 .
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14. God will judge everything, even what is done in secret, the good and the evil.
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14. For H3588 God H430 shall bring H935 H853 every H3605 work H4639 into judgment H4941 , with H5921 every H3605 secret thing H5956 , whether H518 it be good H2896 , or whether H518 it be evil H7451 .
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