Ecclesiastes 12:3–6

when the keepers of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

when the grinders cease because they are few,

and those looking through the windows grow dim;

when the doors to the street are closed

and the sound of grinding fades;

when people rise up at the sound of birds,

but all their songs grow faint;

when people are afraid of heights

and of dangers in the streets;

when the almond tree blossoms

and the grasshopper drags itself along

and desire no longer is stirred.

Then people go to their eternal home

and mourners go about the streets.

Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,

and the golden bowl is broken;

before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,

and the wheel broken at the well,

on the day when the guardians of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

the women who grind grain cease because they are few,

and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly,

the doors at the street are shut

while the sound of the mill fades;

when one rises at the sound of a bird,

and all the daughters of song grow faint.

Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road;

the almond tree blossoms,

the grasshopper loses its spring,

and the caper berry has no effect;

for the mere mortal is headed to his eternal home,

and mourners will walk around in the street;

before the silver cord is snapped,

and the gold bowl is broken,

and the jar is shattered at the spring,

and the wheel is broken into the well;

Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.

Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.

Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.

Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.

When the guards of the house tremble,

and the men of strength are bent;

the grinders cease because they are few,

and those looking through the windows see dimly.

When the doors on the street are shut,

when the sound of the grinding mill is low;

one rises up to the sound of the bird,

and all the daughters of song are brought low.

They are afraid of heights,

and terrors are on the road.

The almond tree blossoms,

and the grasshopper draws itself along, and desire fails

because man goes to his eternal home,

and the mourners go about in the streets.

Before the silver cord is snapped

and the golden bowl is broken;

and the jar at the foundation is broken,

and the wheel at the cistern is broken.

In the day 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 streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: 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.