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Ecclesiastes 12:3

Death and loss

1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”

2 before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,

on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,

4 when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,

5 when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
KJV
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,
WEB
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 who look out of the windows are darkened,
ASV
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 shall be darkened,
DARBY
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,
BLB
in the day the guards of the house tremble, and the men of strength bow down, and those gridning cease because they are few, and those looking out through the windows grow dim,
ÅB
den tid da husets voktere skjelver, og de sterke menn blir krokete, og de som maler på kvernen, stanser sitt arbeid, fordi de er blitt for få, og de som ser ut gjennom vinduene, formørkes[^1],
OTB
når husets voktere skjelver, og de sterke mennene bøyer seg, når kvernene stanser fordi de er få, og de som ser ut gjennom vinduene blir svake;
B1930
den tid da husets voktere skjelver, og de sterke menn blir krokete, og de som maler på kvernen, stanser sitt arbeid, fordi de er blitt for få, og de som ser ut gjennem vinduene, formørkes, < 1MO 27, 1; 48, 10. 1KG 14, 4.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 90:9–10

    For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh.

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  • Psalms 102:23

    He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.

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  • Genesis 48:10

    Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

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  • 1 Samuel 3:2

    And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.

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  • Zechariah 8:4

    This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age.

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  • 2 Samuel 21:15–17

    Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines; but David became exhausted.

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  • Genesis 27:1

    When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.

    Read in context