Ecclesiastes 12

The Preacher urges the young to remember their Creator before old age brings physical decline, depicted poetically as trembling keepers (arms), bowing strong men (legs), few grinders (teeth), dim windows (eyes), and man going to his eternal home amid mourners[1][2][3]. He concludes that fearing God and keeping His commandments is the whole duty of man, for God will bring every work into judgment, whether good or evil[1][2][3].

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Interlinear Text

Verse 1
and-remember and remember! and remember [direct object marker] object-marker [·] your-Creator your creators your Creator in-days-of in the days of in the days of your-youth your young women your youth before up to until that that-which when not not not they-come they come they come days-of days of days of the-evil the evil the evil and-draw-near and they caused to reach and they reach years cycles of years years when that-which when you-will-say you will say you will say there-is-not there is not there is not to-me — to me in-them — in them pleasure delight-desire delight-desire
וּ/זְכֹר֙ 𐤅/𐤆𐤊𐤓 uzekhor kumbuka (Lingala) and-remember and remember! and remember HC/Vqv2ms אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] object-marker [·] HTo בּ֣וֹרְאֶ֔י/ךָ 𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤀𐤉/𐤊 boreeykha Dá (Yoruba) your-Creator your creators your Creator HVqrmpc/Sp2ms בִּ/ימֵ֖י 𐤁/𐤉𐤌𐤉 bimey in-days-of in the days of in the days of HR/Ncmpc בְּחוּרֹתֶ֑י/ךָ 𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤓𐤕𐤉/𐤊 bechuroteykha your-youth your young women your youth HNcbpc/Sp2ms עַ֣ד 𐤏𐤃 ad before up to until HR אֲשֶׁ֤ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that that-which when HTr לֹא 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn יָבֹ֨אוּ֙ 𐤉𐤁𐤀𐤅 yavou they-come they come they come HVqi3mp יְמֵ֣י 𐤉𐤌𐤉 yemey days-of days of days of HNcmpc הָֽ/רָעָ֔ה 𐤄/𐤓𐤏𐤄 haraah the-evil the evil the evil HTd/Ncfsa וְ/הִגִּ֣יעוּ 𐤅/𐤄𐤂𐤉𐤏𐤅 vehigiu and-draw-near and they caused to reach and they reach HC/Vhq3cp שָׁנִ֔ים 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 shanim years cycles of years years HNcfpa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher-2 when that-which when HTr תֹּאמַ֔ר 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤓 tomar you-will-say you will say you will say HVqi2ms אֵֽין 𐤀𐤉𐤍 eyn there-is-not there is not there is not HTn לִ֥/י 𐤋/𐤉 li to-me to me HR/Sp1cs בָ/הֶ֖ם 𐤁/𐤄𐤌 vahem in-them in them HR/Sp3mp חֵֽפֶץ 𐤇𐤐𐤑 chefets pleasure delight-desire delight-desire HNcmsa
Verse 3
in the day in the day in the day when they tremble they will tremble when they tremble the keepers guarding-ones of keeping-ones of of the house the built-house the house and are bent and they twisted themselves and they are bent men men of men of of strength the strength strength and cease and they ceased and they cease the grinders the grinding-women the grinders because for/because because they are few they diminished they are few and grow dim and they became dark and they grow dim those who look out the seeing ones the seeing ones through the windows in the openings at the windows
בַּ/יּ֗וֹם 𐤁/𐤉𐤅𐤌 bayom in the day in the day in the day HRd/Ncmsa שֶׁ/יָּזֻ֨עוּ֙ 𐤔/𐤉𐤆𐤏𐤅 sheyazuu shupa (Bemba) when they tremble they will tremble when they tremble HTr/Vqi3mp שֹׁמְרֵ֣י 𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤉 shomerey the keepers guarding-ones of keeping-ones of HVqrmpc הַ/בַּ֔יִת 𐤄/𐤁𐤉𐤕 habayit of the house the built-house the house HTd/Ncmsa וְ/הִֽתְעַוְּת֖וּ 𐤅/𐤄𐤕𐤏𐤅𐤕𐤅 vehiteavetu and are bent and they twisted themselves and they are bent HC/Vtq3cp אַנְשֵׁ֣י 𐤀𐤍𐤔𐤉 aneshey men men of men of HNcmpc הֶ/חָ֑יִל 𐤄/𐤇𐤉𐤋 hechayil kayila (Lunda) of strength the strength strength HTd/Ncmsa וּ/בָטְל֤וּ 𐤅/𐤁𐤈𐤋𐤅 uvatelu and cease and they ceased and they cease HC/Vqq3cp הַ/טֹּֽחֲנוֹת֙ 𐤄/𐤈𐤇𐤍𐤅𐤕 hatochanot saga (Swahili) the grinders the grinding-women the grinders HTd/Ncfpa כִּ֣י 𐤊𐤉 ki because for/because because HC מִעֵ֔טוּ 𐤌𐤏𐤈𐤅 mietu they are few they diminished they are few HVpp3cp וְ/חָשְׁכ֥וּ 𐤅/𐤇𐤔𐤊𐤅 vechashekhu and grow dim and they became dark and they grow dim HC/Vqq3cp הָ/רֹא֖וֹת 𐤄/𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤕 haroot those who look out the seeing ones the seeing ones HTd/Vqrfpa בָּ/אֲרֻבּֽוֹת 𐤁/𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 baarubot through the windows in the openings at the windows HRd/Ncfpa
Verse 4
and the doors are shut and they were shut in and they were shut in the doors two hanging door-panels two hanging door-panels in the street in the public thoroughfare in the public thoroughfare when low in being low in being low the sound sound of voice of of the grinding the grinding-mill the grinding-mill and one rises and he rises and it rises at the sound to the sound of to the voice of of the bird the chirping bird the bird and are brought low and they will be brought low and they will be brought low all entirety of all of daughters daughters of daughters of of song the song the song
וְ/סֻגְּר֤וּ 𐤅/𐤎𐤂𐤓𐤅 vesugeru and the doors are shut and they were shut in and they were shut in HC/VPq3cp דְלָתַ֨יִם֙ 𐤃𐤋𐤕𐤉𐤌 delatayim the doors two hanging door-panels two hanging door-panels HNcfda בַּ/שּׁ֔וּק 𐤁/𐤔𐤅𐤒 bashuq in the street in the public thoroughfare in the public thoroughfare HRd/Ncmsa בִּ/שְׁפַ֖ל 𐤁/𐤔𐤐𐤋 bishefal when low in being low in being low HR/Vqc ק֣וֹל 𐤒𐤅𐤋 qol the sound sound of voice of HNcmsc הַֽ/טַּחֲנָ֑ה 𐤄/𐤈𐤇𐤍𐤄 hatachanah of the grinding the grinding-mill the grinding-mill HTd/Ncfsa וְ/יָקוּם֙ 𐤅/𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤌 veyaqum uku-ima (Bemba) and one rises and he rises and it rises HC/Vqi3ms לְ/ק֣וֹל 𐤋/𐤒𐤅𐤋 leqol at the sound to the sound of to the voice of HR/Ncmsc הַ/צִּפּ֔וֹר 𐤄/𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤓 hatsipor of the bird the chirping bird the bird HTd/Ncbsa וְ/יִשַּׁ֖חוּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤅 veyishachu and are brought low and they will be brought low and they will be brought low HC/VNi3mp כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal kila (Swahili) all entirety of all of HNcmsc בְּנ֥וֹת 𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕 benot daughters daughters of daughters of HNcfpc הַ/שִּֽׁיר 𐤄/𐤔𐤉𐤓 hashir of song the song the song HTd/Ncbsa
Verse 5
also also also of height high from height they are afraid they will fear they will fear and terrors shattering terrors and shattering terrors in the way in the path in the way and blossoms and he will treat with contempt and it will treat with contempt the almond tree the almond tree the almond tree and drags itself he will bear himself under burden and it will bear itself under burden the grasshopper the locust the locust and fails and she will nullify and it will nullify the caperberry the desire-arousing caper berry the desire-arousing caper berry for for/because for going the one walking the one walking man the earthling the human to toward to house house-of the house of his eternity his enduring age of his eternity and go about and they encircled and they went around in the street in the public thoroughfare in the street the mourners the ones lamenting the mourners
גַּ֣ם 𐤂𐤌 gam also also also HTa מִ/גָּבֹ֤הַּ 𐤌/𐤂𐤁𐤄 migavoha of height high from height HR/Aamsa יִרָ֨אוּ֙ 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤅 yirau they are afraid they will fear they will fear HVqi3mp וְ/חַתְחַתִּ֣ים 𐤅/𐤇𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤌 vechatechatim and terrors shattering terrors and shattering terrors HC/Ncmpa בַּ/דֶּ֔רֶךְ 𐤁/𐤃𐤓𐤊 baderekhe in the way in the path in the way HRd/Ncbsa וְ/יָנֵ֤אץ 𐤅/𐤉𐤍𐤀𐤑 veyanets and blossoms and he will treat with contempt and it will treat with contempt HC/Vhi3ms הַ/שָּׁקֵד֙ 𐤄/𐤔𐤒𐤃 hashaqed the almond tree the almond tree the almond tree HTd/Ncmsa וְ/יִסְתַּבֵּ֣ל 𐤅/𐤉𐤎𐤕𐤁𐤋 veyisetabel and drags itself he will bear himself under burden and it will bear itself under burden HC/Vti3ms הֶֽ/חָגָ֔ב 𐤄/𐤇𐤂𐤁 hechagav the grasshopper the locust the locust HTd/Ncmsa וְ/תָפֵ֖ר 𐤅/𐤕𐤐𐤓 vetafer and fails and she will nullify and it will nullify HC/Vhi3fs הָֽ/אֲבִיּוֹנָ֑ה 𐤄/𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤄 haavionah the caperberry the desire-arousing caper berry the desire-arousing caper berry HTd/Ncfsa כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because for HC הֹלֵ֤ךְ 𐤄𐤋𐤊 holekhe going the one walking the one walking HVqrmsa הָ/אָדָם֙ 𐤄/𐤀𐤃𐤌 haadam man the earthling the human HTd/Ncmsa אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward to HR בֵּ֣ית 𐤁𐤉𐤕 beyt house house-of the house HNcmsc עוֹלָמ֔/וֹ 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌/𐤅 olamo of his eternity his enduring age of his eternity HNcmsc/Sp3ms וְ/סָבְב֥וּ 𐤅/𐤎𐤁𐤁𐤅 vesavevu and go about and they encircled and they went around HC/Vqq3cp בָ/שּׁ֖וּק 𐤁/𐤔𐤅𐤒 vashuq in the street in the public thoroughfare in the street HRd/Ncmsa הַ/סֹּפְדִֽים 𐤄/𐤎𐤐𐤃𐤉𐤌 hasofedim the mourners the ones lamenting the mourners HTd/Vqrmpa
Verse 6
until up to until that that-which that not not not is removed he will become distant it is removed is loosed he will be bound it is loosed cord binding-cord of cord of the silver the silver the silver and runs and she will crush and it is shattered bowl round basin of bowl of the golden the gold the gold and is broken and she will be shattered and it is broken pitcher earthenware jar of pitcher of at upon at the spring the bubbling spring the spring and is broken and he was crushed and it is shattered the wheel the rolling-wheel the rolling-wheel at toward into the cistern the pit the pit
עַ֣ד 𐤏𐤃 ad until up to until HR אֲשֶׁ֤ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that that-which that HTr לֹֽא 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn ירחק 𐤉𐤓𐤇𐤒 yrchq is removed he will become distant it is removed HVqi3ms יֵרָתֵק֙ 𐤉𐤓𐤕𐤒 yerateq is loosed he will be bound it is loosed HVNi3ms חֶ֣בֶל 𐤇𐤁𐤋 chevel kamba (Swahili) cord binding-cord of cord of HNcbsc הַ/כֶּ֔סֶף 𐤄/𐤊𐤎𐤐 hakesef the silver the silver the silver HTd/Ncmsa וְ/תָרֻ֖ץ 𐤅/𐤕𐤓𐤑 vetaruts and runs and she will crush and it is shattered HC/Vqi3fs גֻּלַּ֣ת 𐤂𐤋𐤕 gulat bowl round basin of bowl of HNcfsc הַ/זָּהָ֑ב 𐤄/𐤆𐤄𐤁 hazahav dhahabu (Swahili) the golden the gold the gold HTd/Ncmsa וְ/תִשָּׁ֤בֶר 𐤅/𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤓 vetishaver and is broken and she will be shattered and it is broken HC/VNi3fs כַּד֙ 𐤊𐤃 kad nkadi (Kikongo) pitcher earthenware jar of pitcher of HNcfsa עַל 𐤏𐤋 al at upon at HR הַ/מַּבּ֔וּעַ 𐤄/𐤌𐤁𐤅𐤏 hamabua the spring the bubbling spring the spring HTd/Ncmsa וְ/נָרֹ֥ץ 𐤅/𐤍𐤓𐤑 venarots and is broken and he was crushed and it is shattered HC/VNq3ms הַ/גַּלְגַּ֖ל 𐤄/𐤂𐤋𐤂𐤋 hagalegal the wheel the rolling-wheel the rolling-wheel HTd/Ncmsa אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el at toward into HR הַ/בּֽוֹר 𐤄/𐤁𐤅𐤓 habor the cistern the pit the pit HTd/Ncmsa
Verse 9
And moreover and surplus and more because he was he was he was the Preacher assembly convener assembly speaker wise wise one of wise still still, again, further again he taught he instructed he instructed knowledge knowledge-of knowledge [direct object marker] object-marker [·] the people the gathered people the people and he weighed and he listened attentively and he listened attentively and he searched and he thoroughly investigated and he thoroughly investigated and he arranged he set in order he set in order proverbs governing sayings proverbs many cause to multiply many
וְ/יֹתֵ֕ר 𐤅/𐤉𐤕𐤓 veyoter And moreover and surplus and more HC/Ncmsa שֶׁ/הָיָ֥ה 𐤔/𐤄𐤉𐤄 shehayah because he was he was he was HTr/Vqp3ms קֹהֶ֖לֶת 𐤒𐤄𐤋𐤕 qohelet the Preacher assembly convener assembly speaker HNcmsa חָכָ֑ם 𐤇𐤊𐤌 chakham wise wise one of wise HAamsa ע֗וֹד 𐤏𐤅𐤃 od still still, again, further again HD לִמַּד 𐤋𐤌𐤃 limad lemba (Kikongo) he taught he instructed he instructed HVpp3ms דַּ֨עַת֙ 𐤃𐤏𐤕 daat knowledge knowledge-of knowledge HNcfsa אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] object-marker [·] HTo הָ/עָ֔ם 𐤄/𐤏𐤌 haam the people the gathered people the people HTd/Ncmsa וְ/אִזֵּ֣ן 𐤅/𐤀𐤆𐤍 veizen and he weighed and he listened attentively and he listened attentively HC/Vpp3ms וְ/חִקֵּ֔ר 𐤅/𐤇𐤒𐤓 vechiqer and he searched and he thoroughly investigated and he thoroughly investigated HC/Vpp3ms תִּקֵּ֖ן 𐤕𐤒𐤍 tiqen and he arranged he set in order he set in order HVpp3ms מְשָׁלִ֥ים 𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤌 meshalim proverbs governing sayings proverbs HNcmpa הַרְבֵּֽה 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 harebeh many cause to multiply many HVha
Verse 13
end end-point end-point of the matter spoken matter matter all the whole the all has been heard was heard was heard [direct object marker] object-marker [·] God the Mighty Ones the Elohim fear let him fear let him fear and and object-marker [·] his commandments his commanded directives his commanded directives keep to guard to keep for for/because for this this one this one the whole entirety of all of of man the earthling the human
ס֥וֹף 𐤎𐤅𐤐 sof end end-point end-point HNcmsc דָּבָ֖ר 𐤃𐤁𐤓 davar Ndaba (Zulu) of the matter spoken matter matter HNcmsa הַ/כֹּ֣ל 𐤄/𐤊𐤋 hakol kila (Swahili) all the whole the all HTd/Ncmsa נִשְׁמָ֑ע 𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤏 nishema has been heard was heard was heard HVNp3ms אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] object-marker [·] HTo הָ/אֱלֹהִ֤ים 𐤄/𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 haelohim Mulimu (Lozi) God the Mighty Ones the Elohim HTd/Ncmpa יְרָא֙ 𐤉𐤓𐤀 yera fear let him fear let him fear HVqv2ms וְ/אֶת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet and and object-marker [·] HC/To מִצְוֺתָ֣י/ו 𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤕𐤉/𐤅 mitseotayv his commandments his commanded directives his commanded directives HNcfpc/Sp3ms שְׁמ֔וֹר 𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤓 shemor keep to guard to keep HVqv2ms כִּי 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because for HC זֶ֖ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh this this one this one HPdxms כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal kila (Swahili) the whole entirety of all of HNcmsc הָ/אָדָֽם 𐤄/𐤀𐤃𐤌 haadam of man the earthling the human HTd/Ncmsa
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