Ecclesiastes 12 – Compare Chapter Translations

Verse-by-verse comparison of Ecclesiastes 12 across supported Bible translations.

Verse 1

KJV 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;

ASV Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

WEB Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

YLT Remember also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, `I have no pleasure in them.'

DRB Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, and the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not:

DBY And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

GNV Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them:

LSB Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days happen and the years draw near in which you will say, “I have no delight in them”;

Verse 2

KJV While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

ASV before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

WEB Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

YLT While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.

DRB Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain:

DBY before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

GNV Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:

LSB before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;

Verse 3

KJV 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,

ASV 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 shall be darkened,

WEB 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 who look out of the windows are darkened,

YLT In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,

DRB When the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall stagger, and the grinders shall be idle in a small number, and they that look through the holes shall be darkened:

DBY in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,

GNV When the keepers of ye house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them selues, and the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out by ye windowes:

LSB in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and valiant men bend down, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through windows grow dark;

Verse 4

KJV 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;

ASV and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

WEB and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

YLT And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And <FI>one<Fi> riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.

DRB And they shall shut the doors in the street, when the grinder's voice shall be low, and they shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall grow deaf.

DBY and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;

GNV And the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.

LSB and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly.

Verse 5

KJV 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:

ASV yea, they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and terrors [shall be] in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

WEB yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

YLT Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.

DRB And they shall fear high things, and they shall be afraid in the way, the almond tree shall flourish, the locust shall be made fat, and the caper tree shall be destroyed: because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall go round about in the street.

DBY they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets;)

GNV Also they shalbe afraide of the hie thing, and feare shalbe in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grassehopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away: for man goeth to the house of his age, and the mourners goe about in the streete.

LSB Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blooms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home, but the mourners go about in the street.

Verse 6

KJV 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.

ASV before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

WEB before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

YLT While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.

DRB Before the silver cord be broken, and the golden fillet shrink back, and the pitcher be crushed at the fountain, and the wheel be broken upon the cistern,

DBY before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern;

GNV Whiles the siluer coarde is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheele broken at the cisterne:

LSB Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the spring is broken and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;

Verse 7

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

ASV and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

WEB and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

YLT And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.

DRB And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.

DBY and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.

GNV And dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.

LSB then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Verse 8

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

ASV Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

WEB “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”

YLT Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole <FI>is<Fi> vanity.

DRB Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.

DBY Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.

GNV Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.

LSB “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

Verse 9

KJV 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.

ASV And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.

WEB Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

YLT And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out--he made right many similes.

DRB And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and declared the things that he had done: and seeking out, he set forth many parables.

DBY And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.

GNV And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.

LSB In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.

Verse 10

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

ASV The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, [even] words of truth.

WEB The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

YLT The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written <FI>by<Fi> the upright, words of truth.

DRB He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full of truth.

DBY The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.

GNV The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.

LSB The Preacher sought to find delightful words and words of truth written uprightly.

Verse 11

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

ASV The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are [the words of] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.

WEB The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

YLT Words of the wise <FI>are<Fi> as goads, and as fences planted <FI>by<Fi> the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.

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

DBY The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.

GNV The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.

LSB The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.

Verse 12

KJV 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.

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

WEB Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

YLT And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study <FI>is<Fi> a weariness of the flesh.

DRB More than these, my son, require not. Of making many books there is no end: and much study is an affliction of the flesh.

DBY And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

GNV And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.

LSB But in addition to this, my son, be warned: the making of many books is endless, and much devotion to books is wearying to the flesh.

Verse 13

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

ASV [This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] of man.

WEB This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

YLT The end of the whole matter let us hear: --`Fear God, and keep His commands, for this <FI>is<Fi> the whole of man.

DRB Let us all hear together the conclusion of the discourse. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is all man:

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

GNV Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.

LSB The end of the matter, all that has been heard: fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the end of the matter for all mankind.

Verse 14

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

ASV For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

WEB For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

YLT For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'

DRB And all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for every error, whether it be good or evil.

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

GNV For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.

LSB For God will bring every work to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.