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1. So 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";
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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. before the sun and the light are darkened, and the moon and the stars, and the clouds return after the rain;
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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. on 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,
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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. and the 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.
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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. Also, 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;
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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. before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is broken, and the jar is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken into the 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. and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns 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. "Absolute futility," says the Teacher. "Everything is futile."
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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. In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs.
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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 sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.
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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. The 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.
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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. But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
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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. When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity.
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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. For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or 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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