Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 12:5–7

5when men fear the heights and dangers of the road,

when the almond tree blossoms,

the grasshopper loses its spring,

and the caper berry shrivels —

for then man goes to his eternal home

and mourners walk the streets.

6Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped

and the golden bowl is crushed,

before the pitcher is shattered at the spring

and the wheel is broken at the well,

7before the dust returns to the ground from which it came

and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 12:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
fearיִרָ֙אוּ֙yi·rā·’ūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH3372 fear
the heightsמִגָּבֹ֤הַּmig·gā·ḇō·ahPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH1364 high, exalted
and dangersוְחַתְחַתִּ֣יםwə·ḥaṯ·ḥat·tîmConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine pluralH2849 terror
of the roadבַּדֶּ֔רֶךְbad·de·reḵPreposition-b, Article; Noun - common singularH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
when the almond treeהַשָּׁקֵד֙haš·šā·qêḏArticle; Noun - masculine singularH8247 almond(-tree)
blossomsוְיָנֵ֤אץwə·yā·nêṣConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5006 contemn, spurn
the grasshopperהֶֽחָגָ֔בhe·ḥā·ḡāḇArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2284 locust, grasshopper
loses its springוְיִסְתַּבֵּ֣לwə·yis·tab·bêlConjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5445 bear
and the caper berryהָֽאֲבִיּוֹנָ֑הhā·’ă·ḇî·yō·w·nāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH35 caper-berry
shrivelsוְתָפֵ֖רwə·ṯā·p̄êrConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singularH6565 break, frustrate
for thenכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
manהָאָדָם֙hā·’ā·ḏāmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
goesהֹלֵ֤ךְhō·lêḵVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
his eternalעוֹלָמ֔וֹ‘ō·w·lā·mōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
homeבֵּ֣יתbêṯNoun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
and mournersהַסֹּפְדִֽים׃has·sō·p̄ə·ḏîmArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH5594 wail, lament
walkוְסָבְב֥וּwə·sā·ḇə·ḇūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralH5437 turn about, go around, surround
the streetsבָשּׁ֖וּקḇå̄š·šūqPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH7784 street

Ecclesiastes 12:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
beforeעַ֣ד‘aḏPrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the silverהַכֶּ֔סֶףhak·ke·sep̄Article; Noun - masculine singularH3701 silver, money
cordחֶ֣בֶלḥe·ḇelNoun - masculine singular constructH2256 cord, territory, band
is snappedיִרְחַקyir·ḥaqVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7368 be, or become, far, distant
and the goldenהַזָּהָ֑בhaz·zā·hāḇArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2091 gold
bowlגֻּלַּ֣תgul·laṯNoun - feminine singular constructH1543 basin, bowl
is crushedוְתָרֻ֖ץwə·ṯā·ruṣConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singularH7533 crush
the pitcherכַּד֙kaḏNoun - feminine singularH3537 jar
is shatteredוְתִשָּׁ֤בֶרwə·ṯiš·šā·ḇerConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singularH7665 break, break in pieces
atעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the springהַמַּבּ֔וּעַham·mab·bū·a‘Article; Noun - masculine singularH4002 spring of water
and the wheelהַגַּלְגַּ֖לhag·gal·galArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1534 wheel, whirl, whirlwind
is brokenוְנָרֹ֥ץwə·nā·rōṣConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH7533 crush
atאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the wellהַבּֽוֹר׃hab·bō·wrArticle; Noun - masculine singularH953 pit, cistern, well

Ecclesiastes 12:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
the dustהֶעָפָ֛רhe·‘ā·p̄ārArticle; Noun - masculine singularH6083 dry earth, dust
returnsוְיָשֹׁ֧בwə·yā·šōḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularH7725 turn back, return
toעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the groundהָאָ֖רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
from which it cameכְּשֶׁהָיָ֑הkə·še·hā·yāhPreposition-k, Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
and the spiritוְהָר֣וּחַwə·hā·rū·aḥConjunctive waw, Article; Noun - common singularH7307 breath, wind, spirit
returnsתָּשׁ֔וּבtā·šūḇVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularH7725 turn back, return
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
whoאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
gave itנְתָנָֽהּ׃nə·ṯā·nāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singularH5414 give, put, set

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 12:5 Job 17:13 · Jeremiah 9:17–20 · Job 30:23 · Proverbs 16:31 · Psalm 49:10–14 · Genesis 50:3–10 · Job 15:10 · Leviticus 19:32 · Psalm 71:18

Ecclesiastes 12:6 Zechariah 4:2–3

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Daniel 12:2 · Ecclesiastes 3:20–21 · Psalm 146:4 · Genesis 3:19 · Job 34:14–15 · Zechariah 12:1 · Isaiah 57:16 · Genesis 2:7 · Numbers 16:22 · Job 20:11 · Numbers 27:16 · Psalm 90:3

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.