Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes · Chapter 12

Ecclesiastes 12:6

1Remember 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;2While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:3In 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,4And 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;5Also 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:6Or 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.7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.8Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.9And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.10The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
6Or 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.Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
untilעַ֣ד'adH5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

thatאֲשֶׁ֤ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it will be snappedיֵרָתֵק֙yi-r-chakH7576
to bind

רָתַק (ra.taq) 1) to bind 1a) (Niphal) to be snapped, be broken 1b) (Pual) to be bound

[the] cord ofחֶ֣בֶלCHE-velH2256M
cord

חֶ֫בֶל (che.vel) 1) a cord, rope, territory, band, company 1a) a rope, cord 1b) a measuring-cord or line 1c) a measured portion, lot, part, region 1d) a band or company § destruction

the silverהַכֶּ֔סֶףha-KE-sefH3701G
silver: money

כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents

so it may be crushedוְתָרֻ֖ץve-ta-RUTZH7533
to crush

רָצַץ (ra.tsats) 1) to crush, oppress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to crush, get crushed, be crushed 1a2) to crush, oppress (fig) 1a3) crushed (participle passive) 1b) (Niphal) to be crushed, be broken 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to crush in pieces 1c2) to grievously oppress (fig) 1d) (Poel) to oppress (fig) 1e) (Hiphil) to crush 1f) (Hithpoel) to crush each other

[the] bowl ofגֻּלַּ֣תgu-LATH1543
bowl

גֹּל (gol) 1) bowl, basin 1a) basin 1b) bowl 1b1) of a lamp 1b2) of bowl shaped portion of capitals of the two pillars in the temple

the goldהַזָּהָ֑בha-za-HAVH2091
gold

דְּהַב (de.hav) gold Aramaic of za.hav (זָהָב "gold" H2091)

so it may be brokenוְתִשָּׁ֤בֶרve-ti-SHA-verH7665
to break

שָׁבַר (sha.var) 1) to break, break in pieces 1a) (Qal) 1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench 1a2) to break, rupture (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked 1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig) 1c) (Piel) to shatter, break 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth 1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406)

[the] jarכַּד֙kadH3537
jar

כַּד (kad) jar, large jar (portable)

atעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

the water springהַמַּבּ֔וּעַha-ma-BU-a'H4002
spring

מַבּוּעַ (mab.bu.a) spring of water

and it will be crushedוְנָרֹ֥ץve-na-ROTZH7533
to crush

רָצַץ (ra.tsats) 1) to crush, oppress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to crush, get crushed, be crushed 1a2) to crush, oppress (fig) 1a3) crushed (participle passive) 1b) (Niphal) to be crushed, be broken 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to crush in pieces 1c2) to grievously oppress (fig) 1d) (Poel) to oppress (fig) 1e) (Hiphil) to crush 1f) (Hithpoel) to crush each other

the [water] wheelהַגַּלְגַּ֖לha-gal-GALH1534
wheel

גַּלְגַּל (gal.gal) 1) wheel, whirl, whirlwind, whirling 1a) wheel 1b) whirl (of dust, chaff) Aramaic equivalent: gal.gal (גַּלְגַּל "wheel" H1535)

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

the wellהַבּֽוֹר׃ha-BORH0953A
pit

בּוֹר (bor) pit, well, cistern, dungeon, pit of the grave

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.