1 And remember your Creator {borekha: One who forms your existence} in the days of your youth, until the evil days come and the years arrive when you will say, “I have no delight {khefets: satisfying desire} in them.”
2 Before the sun {shemesh: day-star}, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain {geshem: downpour}.
3 In the day when the keepers {shomrei: those who watch over} of the house tremble, and the men of strength are bent, and the grinders {hatokhanot: millstones for grain} cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows are darkened.
4 And the doors will be shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding{tachanah: ancient hand mill} is low, and he will rise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters{benot: poetic metaphor for women singers} of song will be brought low.
5 Also, they will fear heights, and terrors will be in the way; the almond tree{shaqed: early bloom} will blossom, and the grasshopper will be a burden, and the caper berry will fail to awaken desire, for man goes to his eternal house{olamo: final dwelling}, and mourners go about the streets.
6 Until the silver cord {khevel: delicate thread} is snapped and the golden bowl is shattered, and the jar is broken at the spring, and the wheel is broken at the pit {bor: cistern/reservoir}.
7 And the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God {Elohim, Life-Giver} who gave it {ruach: animating breath}.
8 “Vapor upon vapor,” said the Preacher{qohelet: assembler of people for wisdom}, “everything is vapor{havel: transience, fleeting}.”
9 And further, because Qohelet {qohelet: assembler} was wise, he still taught knowledge {da’at: insight} to the people, and weighed, searched, and arranged many proverbs.
10 Qoheleth sought to find words of delight {khefets: pleasing}, and he wrote what was straight {yosher: moral integrity}—words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like firmly planted nails are the sayings of the masters of assemblies {asupot: formal gatherings}; they are given from one shepherd {ro'eh: spiritual guide}.
12 And beyond these, my son, be warned: the making of many books {sefarim: written works} has no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh {basar: physical body}.
13 The final word, after all has been heard: fear God {Elohim, Revered Judge}, and keep His commandments, for this is the whole calling of man {adam: human being}.
14 For God {Elohim, Universal Judge} will call every deed to judgment, together with every hidden thing, whether it is good {tov: morally excellent} or whether it is evil.