Ecclesiastes 12:1

KJV1611 – Modern English

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days do not come, nor the years draw near when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּזְכֹר֙ אֶת־בּ֣וֹרְאֶ֔יךָ בִּימֵ֖י בְּחוּרֹתֶ֑יךָ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ יְמֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ה וְהִגִּ֣יעוּ שָׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמַ֔ר אֵֽין־לִ֥י בָהֶ֖ם חֵֽפֶץ׃

Transliteration

Wə-zəḵōr ʾet-bôrəʾêḵā bi-yəmê bəḥûrōtêḵā ʿad ʾăšer lō-yāḇōʾû yəmê ha-rāʿāh wə-higgîʿû šānîm ʾăšer tōʾmar ʾên-lî bāhem ḥēpeṣ

Grammar Details

• *zəḵōr*: imperative, masculine singular - remember
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *bôrəʾêḵā*: qal participle, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular possessive suffix - your creators/creator
• *yəmê*: construct plural of *yôm* - days of
• *bəḥûrōtêḵā*: noun, feminine plural with 2nd person masculine singular possessive suffix - your youth
• *ʿad*: preposition - until/before
• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - which/when
• *yāḇōʾû*: qal imperfect, 3rd person plural - they will come
• *rāʿāh*: noun, feminine singular - evil/trouble
• *higgîʿû*: hiphil perfect, 3rd person plural - they have arrived
• *šānîm*: noun, feminine plural - years
• *tōʾmar*: qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - you will say
• *ʾên*: particle of negation - there is not
• *lî*: preposition with 1st person singular suffix - to me
• *bāhem*: preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - in them
• *ḥēpeṣ*: noun, masculine singular - pleasure/delight/desire

Word Meanings

• *bôrəʾêḵā*: your Creator(s)/Maker(s) - plural form could be intensive singular (God) or literal plural
• *bəḥûrōtêḵā*: your youth/young manhood/prime of life
• *rāʿāh*: evil/misery/distress/calamity/trouble

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years arrive when you say, 'I find no pleasure in them.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  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;

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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;

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Remembre thy maker in thy youth, or euer the dayes of aduersite come, and or the yeares drawe nye, when thou shalt saye: I haue no pleasure in them:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  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:

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Remember thy maker the sooner in thy youth, or euer the dayes of aduersitie come, and or the yeres drawe nye when thou shalt say, I haue not pleasure in them:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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;"

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;

• World English Bible (2000)

  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;"

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly So remember your Creator in the days of your youth– before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say,“I have no pleasure in them”;

Referenced Verses

• Eccl 11:8 : 8 But if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all, let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is vanity.
• Lam 3:27 : 27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth.
• Luke 18:16 : 16 But Jesus called them to him, and said, Allow little children to come to me, and do not forbid them: for of such is the kingdom of God.
• Prov 22:6 : 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
• Ps 34:11 : 11 Come, you children, listen to me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
• Ps 71:17-18 : 17 O God, you have taught me from my youth; and until now have I declared your wondrous works. 18 Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I have shown your strength to this generation, and your power to everyone that is to come.
• Ps 90:10 : 10 The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their strength is labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
• Prov 8:17 : 17 I love those who love me; and those who seek me early shall find me.
• Ps 22:9-9 : 9 But You are He who took me out of the womb; You made me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast upon You from the womb; You are my God from my mother’s belly.
• Eccl 11:10 : 10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.
• 2 Tim 3:15 : 15 And that from childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• Gen 39:23 : 23 The keeper of the prison did not concern himself with anything that was under Joseph's care; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it prosper.
• Gen 39:2 : 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
• 2 Sam 19:35 : 35 I am this day eighty years old; and can I distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?
• Gen 39:8-9 : 8 But he refused, and said to his master's wife, Behold, my master does not concern himself with what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my care; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
• 1 Kgs 14:13 : 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
• 1 Kgs 18:12 : 12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry you where I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he shall slay me: but I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.
• 2 Chr 34:2-3 : 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned aside neither to the right hand nor to the left. 3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the groves, the carved images, and the molten images.
• Job 30:2 : 2 Indeed, how might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age has perished?
• 1 Sam 1:28 : 28 Therefore I have also lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
• 1 Sam 2:18 : 18 But Samuel served before the LORD, being a child, wearing a linen ephod.
• 1 Sam 2:26 : 26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the LORD and also with men.
• 1 Sam 3:19-21 : 19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
• 1 Sam 16:7 : 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
• 1 Sam 16:12-13 : 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and with a beautiful countenance, and good to look upon. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
• 1 Sam 17:36-37 : 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go, and the LORD be with you.
• Eph 6:4 : 4 And, you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
• Dan 1:8-9 : 8 But Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the chief of the eunuchs.
• Dan 1:17 : 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
• Hos 7:9 : 9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he does not know it: yes, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he does not know it.
• Luke 1:15 : 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and will drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
• Luke 2:40-52 : 40 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know it. 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the group, went a day's journey, and they sought him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 And when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it happened, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us? Behold, your father and I have sought you anxiously. 49 And he said to them, Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? 50 And they did not understand the statement which he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
• Isa 26:8 : 8 Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O LORD, we have waited for You; the desire of our soul is for Your name and for the remembrance of You.
• 1 Kgs 3:6-9 : 6 And Solomon said, You have shown to your servant David my father great mercy, as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you; and you have kept for him this great kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Therefore give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil: for who is able to judge this your great people? 10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to your words: lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like you before you, nor shall any arise like unto you.