12 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”:
2 While the sun and the light, the moon and the stars, are not darkened, and the clouds do not return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow down; when the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows grow dim;
4 When the doors are shut in the streets, and the sound of grinding is low; when one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low.
5 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.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well.
7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.”
Verses 2-5 describe old age; verses 6-7, death. Verse 2 pictures the depression and gloom which accompany old age. In youth life appears all brightness; and if there is rain, sunshine follows it. But not so in old age, clouds then return after rain, i.e., the mind loses its power of recovery and cheerfulness. “The keepers of the house” are the arms, the “strong men,” the legs, the “grinders,” the teeth, “the windows, the eyes (v.3). “The house,” more than once in the Bible, figures the human body. — Williams, page 448.
Verse 2 contrasts the light of youth with the darkness of old age.
keepers of the house tremble (v.3) — the hands shake
strong men bow down (v.3) — the legs become weak
Grinders cease because they are few (v.3) — the teeth fall out
windows grow dim (v.3) — eyesight gets worse
the sound of grinding is low (v.4) — loss of appetite
rises up at the sound of a bird (v.4) — sleeplessness
daughters of music are brought low (v.4) — loss of hearing
afraid of height, and of terrors in the way (v.5) — afraid of falling and afraid of traveling
almond tree blossoms (v.5) — hair turns white
the grasshopper is a burden (v.5) — feebleness
the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken (v.6) — probably the nervous system
the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well (v.6) — probably the circulatory system
Verse 7 describes the reverse, as it were, of the creation process. The “spirit” in this specific context of life “under the sun,” refers simply to the breath of life that God places into all living creatures, and not to the soul of man. — Grace, page 1182.
