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Christianity

Ecclesiastes 12Remember Your Creator

Summary

Ecclesiastes 12 urges remembering the Creator in youth, before the evil days of old age. A poetic allegory follows, often read as the failing body: trembling keepers of the house, grinders that cease, windows that darken, and the silver cord loosed and golden bowl broken. Then dust returns to the earth and the spirit to God who gave it. An epilogue praises the Preacher's careful work, warns that much study wearies, and concludes: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Key verse

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Themes

  • Youth and Aging
  • Mortality
  • Fear of God
  • Final Judgment

Text

1

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor 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 grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

5

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

9

And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

11

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

  • Buddhism

    Digha Nikaya 16: The Buddha's Last Days

    In the account of his final days the Buddha reminds his followers that all conditioned things are subject to decay and urges them to strive on with diligence. Ecclesiastes 12 likewise confronts decline and death, but ends with the fear of God rather than self-reliant striving.

  • Buddhism

    Dhammapada 146 to 156: Old Age

    This chapter describes the body wearing out and asks who would delight in it while it ages. It shares the Preacher's sober view of the body's decline in Ecclesiastes 12:1 to 7.

  • Islam

    Surah Al-Imran (3): Every Soul Will Taste Death

    Quran 3:185 says every soul will taste death and be paid in full on the Day of Resurrection, calling worldly life comfort of illusion. Like Ecclesiastes 12:13 to 14, it ends reflection on mortality with accountability before God.

Questions about Ecclesiastes 12

What is the conclusion of Ecclesiastes?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 to 14 concludes: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man, because God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing.

What do the silver cord and golden bowl mean?

Ecclesiastes 12:6 uses broken household images as metaphors for death. Many interpreters read the chapter's earlier imagery as an allegory of the aging body, though the exact meanings are debated.

Why is Ecclesiastes read on Sukkot?

Many Jewish communities read Ecclesiastes during the festival of Sukkot. Common explanations link its reflections on transience with the temporary booths of the festival and its autumn harvest setting.