New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 12:5
5Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.
Ecclesiastes 12:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Also 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:
- New International Version (NIV)when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets.
- English Standard Version (ESV)they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—
- New King James Version (NKJV)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 his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.
Context of Ecclesiastes 12:5
3Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. 4Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. 6Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 12Ecclesiastes 12:5 word by word
גַּ֣ם מִגָּבֹ֤הַּ יִרָ֙אוּ֙ וְחַתְחַתִּ֣ים בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְיָנֵ֤אץ הַשָּׁקֵד֙ וְיִסְתַּבֵּ֣ל הֶֽחָגָ֔ב וְתָפֵ֖ר הָֽאֲבִיּוֹנָ֑ה כִּֽי־הֹלֵ֤ךְ הָאָדָם֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית עוֹלָמ֔וֹ וְסָבְב֥וּ בָשּׁ֖וּק הַסֹּפְדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- they shall be afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- highגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
- and fearsחַתְחַתchathchath · terrorH2849
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- and the almond treeשָׁקֵדshâqêd · almondH8247
- shall flourishנָאַץnâ'ats · to spurnH5006
- and the grasshopperחָגָבchâgâb · locustH2284
- shall be a burdenסָבַלsâbal · to bearH5445
- and desireאֲבִיּוֹנָה'ăbîyônâh · desireH35
- shall failפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
- because manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- goethהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- to his longעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- homeבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- and the mournersסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
- go aboutסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
- the streetsשׁוּקshûq · streetH7784
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:5
- Genesis 42:38But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”
- Genesis 44:29Now if you take his brother away from me, and any harm comes to him, you will send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.’
- Leviticus 19:32“Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord.
- Job 15:10On our side are aged, gray-haired men much older than your father!
- Psalms 71:18Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.
- Proverbs 16:31Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.
- Proverbs 20:29The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
- Isaiah 46:4I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
- Jeremiah 1:11Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?” And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- Job 17:13What if I go to the grave and make my bed in darkness?
- Job 30:23And I know you are sending me to my death— the destination of all who live.
- Psalms 49:10Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.
- Hebrews 9:27And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,
- Genesis 50:3The embalming process took the usual forty days. And the Egyptians mourned his death for seventy days.
- Jeremiah 9:17This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Consider all this, and call for the mourners. Send for the women who mourn at funerals.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5When they shall be afraid of that which is high - 10. Being so feeble, they are afraid to trust themselves to ascend steps, stairs, etc., without help. And when they look upwards, their heads turn giddy, and they are ready to fall. 11. Fears shall be in the way - They dare not walk out, lest they should meet some danger, which they have not strength to repel, nor agility to escape. A second childishness has taken place - apprehensions, fears, terrors, and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5High - The powerful and the proud, such persons as an old man in his timidity might shrink from opposing or meeting: or, high ground which old men would avoid ascending. Fears in the way - Compare Proverbs 26:13. The almond tree - The type of old age. Many modern critics translate “The almond shall be despised,” i. e., pleasant food shall no longer be relished. The grasshopper - Rather: “the locust.” The clause means, heaviness and stiffness shall take…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5In the ancient Near East, people knew the caperberry as a love-enhancing food.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. that which is high--The old are afraid of ascending a hill. fears ... in the way--Even on the level highway they are full of fears of falling, &c. almond ... flourish--In the East the hair is mostly dark. The white head of the old among the dark-haired is like an almond tree, with its white blossoms, among the dark trees around [Holden]. The almond tree flowers on a leafless stock in winter (answering to old age, in which all the powers are dormant)…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 12:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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