Ecclesiastes 12:1–5

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Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly

^12:1So remember¹ your Creator in the days of your youth—

before² the difficult³ days come,

and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

^12:2before the sun and the light⁴ of the moon and the stars grow dark,

and the clouds disappear⁵ after the rain;

^12:3when those who keep watch over the house⁶ begin to tremble,⁷

and the virile men begin to stoop over,⁸

and the grinders⁹ begin to cease because they grow few,

and those who look through the windows grow dim,¹⁰

^12:4and the doors along the street are shut;

when the sound of the grinding mill¹¹ grows low,

and one is awakened¹² by the sound of a bird,

and all their¹³ songs¹⁴ grow faint,¹⁵

^12:5and they are afraid of heights and the dangers¹⁶ in the street;

the almond blossoms¹⁷ grow white,¹⁸

and the grasshopper¹⁹ drags itself along,²⁰

and the caper berry²¹ shrivels up²²—

because man goes to his eternal home,²³

and the mourners go about in the streets—

Read in Logos

Ecclesiastes 12:1: Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”…

Footnotes

1 The imperative זְכֹר (zekhor, “Remember!”) is a figurative expression (metonymy of association) for obeying God and acknowledging his lordship over one’s life (e.g., Num 15:40; Deut 8:18; Pss 42:6–7; 63:6–8; 78:42; 103:18; 106:7; 119:52, 55; Jer 51:50; Ezek 20:43; Jonah 2:7; Mal 4:4). The exhortation to fear God and obey his commands in 12:13–14 spells out what it means to “remember” God.
2 The temporal adjective עַד (’ad, “before”) appears three times in 12:1–7 (vv. 1b, 2a, 6a). Likewise, the temporal preposition בְּ (bet, “when”) is repeated (vv. 3a, 4b). These seven verses comprise one long sentence in Hebrew: The main clause is 12:1a (“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth”), while 12:1b–7 consists of five subordinate temporal clauses (“before … before … when … when … before …”).
3 The adjective רָעָה (ra’ah, “evil”) does not refer here to ethical evil, but to physical difficulty, injury, pain, deprivation and suffering (e.g., Deut 31:17, 21; 32:23; 1 Sam 10:19; Neh 1:3; 2:17; Pss 34:20; 40:13; 88:4; 107:26; Eccl 11:10; Jer 2:27; Lam 3:38); see רָעָה 4.b; 949 רָעָה 2.
4 Heb “the light and the moon and the stars.” The phrase “the light and the moon” is a hendiadys (two separate terms denoting one idea) or perhaps even a hendiatris (three separate terms denoting one idea) for “the light of the moon and stars” (e.g., Gen 1:14).
5 The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”) here denotes “to desist” ( שׁוּב 3). It pictures the disappearance of the clouds as a result of the precipitation of their contents.
6 Heb “the watchers of the house.”
7 The verb זְוּעַ (zéua’, “to tremble”) probably does not refer to physical tremors but to trembling in fear (e.g., Esth 5:9; Hab 2:7; Sir 48:12); cf. זוע). At the onset of old age, those who had been the most courageous during their youth suddenly become fearful.
8 The verb עָוַת (’avat, “to bend; to stoop”) means “to be stooped” ( עות) rather than “to bend themselves” ( 736 עות). The perfect tense may be taken in an ingressive sense (“begin to stoop over”).
9 The term הַטֹּחֲנוֹת (hattokhanot, Qal active participle feminine plural from טָחַן, takhan, “to grind”) is a double entendre. In its literal sense, it refers to female mill-grinders; in its figurative sense, it refers to molar teeth ( *טֹחֲנָה). The related Hebrew noun טַחֲנָה (takhanah) refers to a “mill,” and the related Arabic noun tahinat means “molar tooth” ( *טַחֲנָה).
10 The verb חָשַׁךְ (khashakh, “to grow dim”) is used elsewhere in reference to failing eyesight (e.g., Ps 69:24; Lam 5:17); see חשׁך 2. Therefore, the phrase “those who look through the windows” is probably a figurative description of the eyes, picturing failing eyesight at the onset of old age.
11 The noun טַחֲנָה (takhanah) refers to a “grinding-mill” where grain is ground into flour ( טַחֲנָה). The term is here used as a double entendre, figuratively describing the loss of one’s teeth at the onset of old age. The figurative usage also draws upon the polysemantic nature of this noun; the related Arabic root tahinat means “molar tooth” ( *טֹחֲנָה).
12 Heb “rises up.” The verb קוּם (qum, “to arise”) refers to being awakened from sleep in the middle of the night by a sound (e.g., Exod 12:30; 1 Sam 3:6, 8) and waking up early in the morning (e.g., Gen 24:54; Judg 16:3; Ruth 3:14; Neh 2:12; Job 14:12; 24:14); see קוּם 1; 877 קוּם 1.a. Here it describes one of the frustrations of old age: the elderly person is unable to get a full night’s sleep because every little sound awakens him in the middle of the night or too early in the morning.
13 The term “their” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.
14 Heb “all the daughters of song.” The expression “the daughters of song” (בְּנוֹת הַשִּׁיר, bénot hashir) is an idiom for “songs; musical sounds; melodious notes” ( I בַּת 2; 123 בַּת 5; §128.v). The genitive הַשִּׁיר (“song”) represents the nature, quality, character or condition of the construct בְּנוֹת (“daughters”); see §9.5.3b. The idiom refers to the musical songs sung during one’s youth or to the ability to hear songs that are sung. This line is lamenting the loss of hearing which occurs at the onset of old age.
15 Heb “are brought low.”
16 The Hebrew noun חַתְחַתִּים (khatkhattim) literally means “terrors” ( חַתְחַת; 369 חַתְחַת). Here it is used as a metonymy (cause for effect) to refer to dangers that cause the elderly to be fearful of going outside or walking along the streets. The form חַתְחַתִּים is a reduplicated noun stem from the root חתת (“terror”); חַתְחַת; 369 חַתְחַת. The reduplication of the noun stem intensifies its meaning: the noun חִתַּת (khittat) means “terror,” so the intensified reduplicated form חַתְחַת (khatkhat) connotes something like “great terror” (see S. Moscati, Comparative Grammar, 78–79, §12.9–13). The plural form חַתְחַתִּים (“great terrors”) denotes plural of number (more than one) or plural of intensity (which would further intensify the experience of fear); see §7.4.3a.
17 The noun שָׁקֵד (shaqed) is used in the OT in reference to the “almond nut” (e.g., Gen 43:11; Num 17:23) and metonymically (product for thing producing it) for the “almond tree” (e.g., Jer 1:11); cf. שָׁקֵד; 1052 שָׁקֵד 2.
18 The verb נצץ (“to blossom”) is a geminate verb (II = III) that, in this case, is written with a matres lectionis (plene spelling) rather than the normal spelling of וינץ ( §73.g). The Hiphil verb יָנֵאץ (yane’ts) is from the root נצץ “to shine; to sparkle; to blossom” ( נצץ; 665 נָצַץ). It is used in reference to almond blossoms whose color progresses from pink to white as they ripen (e.g., Song 6:11). This is an appropriate metaphor (comparison of sight) to describe white hair that often accompanies the onset of old age.
19 Or “locust.”
20 The verb סָבַל (saval, “to bear a heavy load”) means “to drag oneself along” as a burden ( 687 סָבַל) or “to become thick; to move slowly forward; to clear off” ( סבל).
21 The noun אֲבִיּוֹנָה (’aviyyonah, “caper berry, caper fruit”) is a , occurring only here in the Hebrew Bible. It refers to the Capparis spinosa fruit which was eaten as an aphrodisiac in the ancient Near East ( אֲבִיּוֹנָה; 2–3 אֲבִיּוֹנָה). There are two options for the interpretation of this figure: (1) At the onset of old age, the sexual virility that marked one’s youth is nothing more than a distant memory, and even aphrodisiacs fail to stimulate sexual desire to allow for sexual intercourse. (2) The onset of old age is like the shriveling up of the caper berry fruit; the once virile youth has passed his prime just like a shriveled caper berry can no longer provide a sexual stimulant.
22 The vocalizes consonantal ותפר as וְתָפֵר (vétafer, conjunction + Hiphil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular from פָּרַר, parar, “to burst”). However, an alternate vocalization tradition of וְתֻפַּר (vétupar, conjunction + Hophal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular “to be broken down”) is reflected in the which reads καὶ διασκεδασθῇ (kai diaskedasthē, “is scattered”) and Symmachus καὶ διαλυθῇ (kai dialuthē, “is broken up”) which is followed by the . On the other hand, Aquila’s καὶ καρπεύσει (kai karpeusei, “are enjoyed,” of fruits) reflects וְתִפְרֶה (Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular from פָרַה, “to bear fruit”); this does not reflect an alternate reading but a translator’s error in word division between וְתָפֵר הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה (vétafer ha’aviyyonah, “the caper berry bursts”) and וְתִפְרֶה אֲבִיּוֹנָה (vétifreh ’aviyyonah, “the caper berry bears fruit”). Or “fails”; or “bursts.” The meaning of the verb פָּרַר (parar, “to break; to make ineffectual”) is debated: (1) “to be ineffectual,” that is, to fail to provide sexual power as an aphrodisiac, or (2) “to break; to burst,” that is, the caper berry fruit shrivels as it lingers on its branch beyond its period of ripeness ( פרר 2.f; 830 I. פָּרַר 2.d).
23 In the construct phrase בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ (bet ’olamo, “house of his eternity”), the genitive עוֹלָמוֹ (“eternity”) functions as an attributive adjective: “his eternal home.” This is an idiom for the grave as the resting place of the body (e.g., Ps 49:12 [11]; Job 7:9; 14:10–12; Eccl 12:5) or Sheol as the residence of the dead (e.g., Job 17:13; 30:23); see I בַּיִת 2; (5); 109 בַּיִת 1.d. For example, the term בֵּית (“house”) is used in Job 30:23 in parallelism with “death” (מָוֶת, mavet). The same idiom appears in postbiblical Hebrew: “the house of eternity” (בֵּית עוֹלָם, bet ’olam) is a euphemism for a burial ground or cemetery (e.g., Lamentations Rabbah 1:5); see 1084–85 עָלַם III. This idiom is also found in a Moabite text in reference to the grave (Deir Alla Inscription 2:6). A similar idiom is found in Phoenician and Palmyrene in reference to the grave ( 35). The idiom appears to have originated in Egyptian literature (H. A. Hoffner, 2:113). See F. Cumont, Afterlife in Roman Paganism, 48–50.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Remember your Creator

in the days of your youth,

before the days of trouble come

and the years approach when you will say,

“I find no pleasure in them”—

before the sun and the light

and the moon and the stars grow dark,

and the clouds return after the rain;

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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

So remember your Creator in the days of your youth:

Before the days of adversity come,

and the years approach when you will say,

“I have no delight in them”;

before the sun and the light are darkened,

and the moon and the stars,

and the clouds return after the rain;

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;

NLTNew Living Translation

Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth—

before the days of trouble come

and the years draw near when you will say,

“I find no pleasure in them!”

Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars darken

and the clouds return after the rain.

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.

KJV 1900King James 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; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 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:

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