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The doors to the street will be shut
    when the sound of grinding decreases,
when one wakes up at the song of a bird,
    and all of the singing women are silenced.
At that time they will fear climbing[a] heights
    and dangers along the road
while the almond tree will blossom,
    and the grasshopper is weighed down.
Desire will cease,[b]
    because the person goes to his eternal home,
        and mourners will gather in the marketplace.
When the silver cord is severed,
    the golden vessel is broken,
the pitcher is shattered at the fountain,
    and the wheel is broken at the cistern,

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:5 The Heb. lacks climbing
  2. Ecclesiastes 12:5 Lit. The caper berry will have no effect

when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;(A)
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(B)
    and mourners(C) go about the streets.

Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,

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