9 Be happy, young man, while you are young, 9 and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. 9 Follow the ways of your heart 9 and whatever your eyes see, 9 but know that for all these things 9 God will bring you to judgment.
10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart 10 and cast off the troubles of your body, 10 for youth and vigor are meaningless.
1 Remember your Creator 1 in the days of your youth, 1 before the days of trouble come 1 and the years approach when you will say, 1 "I find no pleasure in them"—
2 before the sun and the light 2 and the moon and the stars grow dark, 2 and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble, 3 and the strong men stoop, 3 when the grinders cease because they are few, 3 and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed 4 and the sound of grinding fades; 4 when men rise up at the sound of birds, 4 but all their songs grow faint;
5 when men are afraid of heights 5 and of dangers in the streets; 5 when the almond tree blossoms 5 and the grasshopper drags himself along 5 and desire no longer is stirred. 5 Then man goes to his eternal home 5 and mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, 6 or the golden bowl is broken; 6 before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, 6 or the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, 7 and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher.[a] 8 "Everything is meaningless!"
8 9
