Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; and remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for youth and the prime of life are vanity.

The Coming of the Evil Days

Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth:

Or ever the evil days come,
And the years draw nigh,
When thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them:

Or ever the sun.
And the light,
And the moon,
And the stars,
Be darkened,
And the clouds return after the rain:
In the days 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, 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;

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 the caperberry shall burst:

Because man goeth to his long home,
And the mourners go about the streets:

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:

And the dust return to the earth,
As it was;
And the spirit return unto God
Who gave it.