What is his final advice?
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole of man. {cf, Eccl 12:13}
"Wait!" you protest. "You left out a word! It says, 'this is the whole duty of man.'"
No, I didn't leave it out. The translators put it in. That word doesn't belong there. The Hebrew says, "this is the whole of man" or "this is what makes man whole," if you like. "Fear God." Now that doesn't mean that you are to be afraid of him, but to have a loving respect that obeys him.
Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
This is what makes man whole. And the secret is to enthrone God in the days of your youth. I Checked the online Hebrew (Jewish) Translation and it is: "13 The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man."
Why would the translators feel the need to insert the word "duty" when clearly it is not there at all?
Darby's translation is more correct: Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13 Darby)
Interesting.