Ecclesiastes 12:6

Ecclesiastes 12:6

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

a. ASV: Before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

b. YLT: While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.

c. Classic Amplified: [Remember your Creator earnestly now] before the silver cord [of life] is snapped apart, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern [and the whole circulatory system of the blood ceases to function];

d. Septuagint: Before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Before the silver cord snapa, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel is smashed at the pit.

1. “Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken…”

a. Or [ever] [Strong: 5704 `ad ad properly, the same as 57 03 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.]

b. [the] silver [Strong: 3701 keceph keh'-sef from 3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money:--money, price, silver(-ling).]

c. cord [Strong: 2256 chebel kheh'-bel or chebel {khay'-bel}; from 2254; a rope (as twisted), especially a measuring line; by implication, a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as of cords); figuratively, a company (as if tied together); also a throe (especially of parturition); also ruin:--band, coast, company, cord, country, destruction, line, lot, pain, pang, portion, region, rope, snare, sorrow, tackling.]

d. [be] loosed [Strong: 7368 rachaq raw-khak' a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e. (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation):--(a-, be, cast, drive, get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw) far (away, off), loose, X refrain, very, (be) a good way (off).]

e. [or the] golden [Strong:2091 zahab zaw-hawb' from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:-- gold(-en), fair weather.]

f. bowl [Strong: 1543 gullah gool-law' feminine from 1556; a fountain, bowl or globe (all as round):--bowl, pommel, spring.]

g. [be] broken [Strong: 7533 ratsats raw-tsats' a primitive root; to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively:--break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together.]

2. “...or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.”

a. [or the] pitcher [Strong: 3537 kad kad from an unused root meaning to deepen; properly, a pail; but generally of earthenware; a jar for domestic purposes:--barrel, pitcher.

b. [be] broken [Strong: 7665 shabar shaw-bar' a primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively):--break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken((-hearted)), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, X quite, tear, view (by mistake for 7663).

c. at [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

d. [the] fountain [Strong: 4002 mabbuwa` mab-boo'-ah from 5042; a fountain:--fountain, spring.]

e. [or the] wheel [Strong: 1534 galgal gal-gal' by reduplication from 1556; a wheel; by analogy, a whirlwind; also dust (as whirled):--heaven, rolling thing, wheel.]

f. broken [Strong: 7533 ratsats raw-tsats' a primitive root; to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively:--break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together.]

g. at [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

h. [the] cistern [Strong: 953 bowr bore from 952 (in the sense of 877); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison):--cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.]

1). Rabbinic tradition, Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: The Body, is likened to the malfunctioning machinery of a well. The cord (spine) snaps; the skull shatters; the stomach breaks; and the body is smashed.

2). Rabbinic tradition, Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 Warning that people should use their youthful years wisely, Solomon metaphorically conjures the ravages of old age and physical decline.

3). Institute Of Creation Research Days of Praise: 1/20/14 Here is the wisest counsel a young person can receive. Though it was first written many years ago, it is more relevant than ever today when young people are being bombarded daily with the propaganda and practices of evolutionary humanism. They urgently need to realize that despite these pressures, they are not products of chance, with pleasure their only aim in life. They are special creations of God, with a high and holy purpose destined for them by their Creator. If they will only recognize this fact, acknowledging God, in Christ, as Creator and Savior while they are young, trusting and obeying His Word as they mature, they can anticipate a life of fulfillment. “I have been young, and now am old,” David said, “yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). If they refuse their Creator in the days of their youth, however, then it will become increasingly difficult to remember their Creator as the years go by. Few are converted in later life. They can only anticipate the bitterness and regrets of old age and death, as described so vividly in the verses following our text. Under the figure of a decaying house symbolizing their aging bodies, the forlorn picture is drawn of fading eyesight, trembling hands, buckling knees, sleepless nights, easy irritability, increasing senility, and other aspects of approaching death—all with no pleasure in them because they long ago had forgotten their Creator. Remember now thy Creator, young man, young woman! Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Therefore, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). HMM