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Ecclesiastes 12:2
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1 Remembera now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the1 difficult days come,
And the years draw near bwhen you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”: 
2 While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;
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. 
6 Remember your Creator 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. 
7 aThen 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 and aset in order many proverbs.  
10 The Preacher sought to find1 acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.  
Commentaries:
John Wesley's Notes
<< Ecclesiastes 12:1   Ecclesiastes 12:3 >>


Ecclesiastes 12:2

Which - Heb. While the sun, and the light, and the moon, etc. That clause, and the light, seems to be added to signify that he speaks of the darkening of the sun, and moon, and stars; not in themselves, but only in respect of that light which they afford to men. And therefore the same clause which is expressed after the sun, is to be understood after the moon and stars. And those expressions may be understood of the outward parts of the body, and especially of the face, the beauty of the countenance, the pleasant complexion of the cheeks, the liveliness of the eyes, which are compared to the sun, and moon, and stars, and which are obscured in old age, as the Chaldee paraphrast understands it. Or of external things, of the change of their joy, which they had in their youth, into sorrow, and manifold calamities, which are usually the companions of old age. This interpretation agrees both with the foregoing verse, in which he describes the miseries of old age, and with the following clause, which is added to explain those otherwise ambiguous expressions; and with the scripture use of this phrase; for a state of comfort and happiness is often described by the light of the sun, and a state of trouble is set forth, by the darkening of the light of the sun. Nor the clouds - This phrase denotes a perpetual succession of rain, and clouds bringing rain, and then rain and clouds again. Whereby he expresses either the rheums or destructions which incessantly flow in old men; or the continual vicissitude of infirmities, diseases, and griefs; one deep calling upon another.


 
<< Ecclesiastes 12:1   Ecclesiastes 12:3 >>

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