4 When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all athe daughters of music are brought low.
5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to ahis eternal home, And bthe mourners go about the streets.
6RememberyourCreator before the silver cord is1 loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.
7aThen the dust will return to the earth as it was, bAnd the spirit will return to God cwho gave it.
8 “Vanitya of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.”
The Whole Duty of Man
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out andaset in order many proverbs.
Apparently, these are all metaphors or figures for the value of life—gold and silver. Life is good, Solomon says. Again, he is encouraging us to take advantage of what we have been given before it is too late, because everything will return to the dust, and the spirit will return to the God who gave it (verse 7).
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