Ecclesiastes 12:4

Ecclesiastes 12:4

And 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;

a. ASV: and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

b. YLT: And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.

c. Classic Amplified: When the doors [the lips] are shut in the streets and the sound of the grinding [of the teeth] is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird and the crowing of a cock, and all the daughters of music [the voice and the ear] are brought low;

d. Septuagint: And they shall shut the doors in the market-place, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: When the doors in the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low; when one rises up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song grow dim. 

1. “And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low…”

a. [And the] doors [Strong: 1817 deleth deh'-leth from 1802; something swinging, i.e. the valve of a door:--door (two-leaved), gate, leaf, lid. (In Psa. 141:3, dal, irreg.).]

b. [shall be] shut [Strong: 5462 cagar saw-gar' a primitive root; to shut up; figuratively, to surrender:--close up, deliver (up), give over (up), inclose, X pure, repair, shut (in, self, out, up, up together), stop, X straitly.]

c. [in the] streets [Strong: 7784 shuwq shook from 7783; a street (as run over):--street.]

1). Matthew Poole Commentary: The doors be shut in the streets; or, towards the streets; which lead into the streets. This is understood either, literally; because men, when they are very old, keep much at home, and have neither strength nor inclination to go abroad. Or rather, allegorically, as all the other clauses are understood. And so the doors are either, the outward senses, which, as doors, let in outward objects to the soul. Or rather, the mouth, or the two lips, here expressed by a word of the dual number, which are oft called a door, both in Scripture, as Psalm 141:3 Micah 7:5, and in other authors, which, like a door, open or shut the way which leads into the streets or common passages of the body, such as the gullet, and stomach, and all the bowels, as also the windpipe and lungs; which also are principal instruments both of speaking and eating. And these are said to be shut, not simply and absolutely, as if they did never eat, or drink, or speak; but comparatively, because men in extreme old age grow dull and listless, having little or no appetite to eat, and are very much indisposed for discourse, and speak but seldom.

2). John Gill’s Commentary: And the doors shall be shut in the streets,.... The Midrash and Jarchi interpret these of the holes of the body; in which they are followed by our learned and ingenuous countryman, Dr. Smith; who, by them, understands the inlets and outlets of the body; and, by the "streets", the ways and passages through which the food goes, and nourishment is conveyed; and which may be said to be shut, when they cease from their use: but it seems much better, with Aben Ezra and others, to interpret them of the lips; which are sometimes called the doors of the mouth, or lips, Psalm 141:3; which are opened both for speaking and eating; but, in aged persons, are much shut as to either; they do not choose to speak much, because of the disagreeableness of their voice, and difficulty of speech, through the shortness of breath, and the loss of teeth; nor do they open them much to eat, through want of appetite; and while eating, are obliged, for want of teeth, to keep their lips close, to retain their food from falling out; they mumble with their lips both in speaking and eating; and, particularly in public, aged persons care not to speak nor eat, for the reason following: though some understand it, more literally, of their having the doors of their houses shut, and keeping within, and not caring to go abroad in the streets, because of their infirmities so the Targum,

d. [when the] sound [Strong: 6963 qowl kole or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim, proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, + yell.]

e. [of the] grinding [Strong: 2913 tachanah takh-an-aw' from 2912; a hand mill; hence (figuratively) chewing:--grinding.]

f. [is] low [Strong: 8217 shaphal shaw-fawl' from 8213; depressed, literally or figuratively:--base(-st), humble, low(-er, -ly).]

2. “...and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;”

a. [and he shall] rise up [Strong: 6965 quwm koom a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, - rising).]

b. [at the] voice [Strong: 6963 qowl kole or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim, proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, + yell.]

c. [og the] bird [Strong: 6833 tsippowr tsip-pore' or tsippor {tsip-pore'}; from 6852; a little bird (as hopping):--bird, fowl, sparrow.]

d. [and] all [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

e. [the] daughters [Strong: 1323 bath bath from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, X first, X old, + owl, town, village.]

f. [of] musick [Strong: 7892 shiyr sheer or feminine shiyrah {shee-raw'}; from 7891; a song; abstractly, singing:--musical(-ick), X sing(-er, -ing), song.]

g. [shall be brought] low [Strong: 7817 shachach shaw-khakh' a primitive root; to sink or depress (reflexive or causative):--bend, bow (down), bring (cast) down, couch, humble self, be (bring) low, stoop.]