en_tn/tNotes/Ecclesiastes/Ecclesiastes_12.md

Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes 12:1

call to mind

This is an idiom. Alternate translation: "remember" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)

before the days of difficulty come

Future time is spoken of as if the "days are coming" Alternate translation: "before you experience difficult times" or "before bad things happen to you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

before the years arrive when you say, "I have no pleasure in them"

Future time is spoken of as if "years arrive" Alternate translation: "before you become old when you say, 'I no longer enjoy being alive'" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

Ecclesiastes 12:2

do this before the light of the sun ... after the rain

Growing old and dying is spoken of as if the sun and moon go dark and dark clouds return. Alternate translation: "do this before it seems to you that the light of the sun ... after the rain" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

Ecclesiastes 12:3

General Information:

The writer describes a house in which various activities stop. This appears to be a metaphor for the human body as it becomes old. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

strong men are bent over

"strong men become weak"

the women who grind cease because they are few

"the women who grind grain stop grinding grain because there are few of them"

Ecclesiastes 12:4

General Information:

The writer continues his metaphor. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

the doors are shut in the street

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "people shut the doors that lead to the street" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

when men are startled at the voice of a bird

It is implied that the voice of the birds startle the men awake. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "when the voice of a bird startles men awake" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

the singing of girls' voices fades away

Here "girls" may be a metaphor for the birds. Alternate translation: "the songs of the birds fade away" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

Ecclesiastes 12:5

General Information:

The writer continues his metaphor. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

when the almond tree blossoms

The "almond tree" is a tree that blossoms in the winter with white flowers. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-unknown)

when grasshoppers drag themselves along

A grasshopper is a large, straight-winged insect with long, jointed back legs that give it the ability to jump a long way. Here it can only drag itself because it has gotten old and weak. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-unknown)

when natural desires fail

The abstract noun "desires" can be stated as a verb. Alternate translation: "when people no longer desire what they once did naturally" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)

Then the man goes to his eternal home

This refers to death. Alternate translation: "Then the man goes to the place of the dead forever" or "Then the person dies and never returns to life" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-euphemism)

the mourners go around in the streets

Possible meanings are 1) that mourners go around in the streets to attend a funeral, or 2) that mourners go around in the streets to the house of the person who is about to die.

Ecclesiastes 12:6

Call to mind

This is an idiom. Alternate translation: "Remember" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)

before the silver cord is cut ... or the water wheel is broken at the well

The writer speaks of dying as if it were one of these various broken items. Death will break the body just as suddenly as people accidentally break these items while they are using them. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

the silver cord is cut

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "someone cuts the silver cord" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

the golden bowl is crushed

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "someone crushes the golden bowl" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

the pitcher is shattered

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "someone shatters the pitcher" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

the water wheel is broken

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "someone breaks the water wheel" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

Ecclesiastes 12:7

dust returns to the earth

Here the word "dust" refers to the human body that has decomposed. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)

Ecclesiastes 12:8

Meaningless

Or "vapor."

the Teacher

See how you translated this in Ecclesiastes 1:1.

Ecclesiastes 12:9

contemplated and set in order

"thought much about and arranged" or "thought much about and wrote down"

Ecclesiastes 12:10

using vivid ... words

The Teacher wanted the words to be pleasurable to the listener. They bring pleasure because they are well written, not because they are comforting.

Ecclesiastes 12:11

The words of wise people ... taught by one shepherd

The writer speaks of the teacher who uses his words to instruct people as if the teacher were a shepherd who uses his tools to lead his flock. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

The words of wise people are like goads

This is a simile. Alternate translation: "Wise people encourage people to act, like a sharp stick encourages an animal to move" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)

Like nails driven deeply are the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs

This is a simile. Alternate translation: "Like you can depend on a nail that a person drives firmly into a piece of wood, so you can depend on the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)

the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs

"the wise words collected in their proverbs" or "the sayings of the wise"

which are taught by one shepherd

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "which one shepherd teaches" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

Ecclesiastes 12:12

be aware of something more

Possible meanings are 1) these words refer to what follows or 2) these words refer to the material in verse 11, "be careful of anything in addition to that."

The making of many books has no end

The noun phrase "the making" can be stated as a verb. Alternate translation: "People will never stop making many books"

brings weariness to the body

Here "body" represents the whole person. Alternate translation: "makes the person tired" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)

Ecclesiastes 12:13

The end of the matter

"The final conclusion on the matter"

after everything has been heard

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "after you have heard everything" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

Ecclesiastes 12:14

along with every hidden thing

Things done in secret is spoken of as if they were an object that was hidden. Alternate translation: "along with everything that people do in secret" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)