Ecclesiastes 12:2

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Before the sun, light, moon, and stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

עַ֠ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וְהָא֔וֹר וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים וְשָׁ֥בוּ הֶעָבִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃

Transliteration

ʿad ʾăšer lō-teḥšaḵ ha-šemeš wə-hā-ʾôr wə-ha-yārēaḥ wə-ha-kôḵāḇîm wə-šāḇû he-ʿāḇîm ʾaḥar ha-gāšem

Grammar Details

• *ʿad*: preposition - until/before
• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - which/when
• *teḥšaḵ*: qal imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular - will be darkened
• *šemeš*: noun, feminine singular - sun
• *ʾôr*: noun, masculine singular - light
• *yārēaḥ*: noun, masculine singular - moon
• *kôḵāḇîm*: noun, masculine plural - stars
• *šāḇû*: qal perfect, 3rd person plural - they have returned
• *ʿāḇîm*: noun, masculine plural - clouds
• *ʾaḥar*: preposition - after
• *gāšem*: noun, masculine singular - rain

Word Meanings

• *teḥšaḵ*: becomes dark/is darkened/grows dim
• *šāḇû*: return/come back/recur

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars are not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  before the Sonne, ye light, ye Moone and the starres be darckened, and or the cloudes turne agayne after the rayne:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Before the sunne, the light, the moone, and starres be darkened, and or the cloudes turne agayne after the rayne:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, And the clouds return after the rain;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;

• World English Bible (2000)

  Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear after the rain;

Referenced Verses

• Gen 27:1 : 1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, 'My son,' and Esau replied, 'Here I am.'
• Gen 48:10 : 10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing due to old age—he could not see well. Joseph brought the boys near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
• 1 Sam 3:2 : 2 One day, Eli was lying in his usual place. His eyesight had begun to grow dim, so he could not see well.
• 1 Sam 4:15 : 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed, so he could not see.
• 1 Sam 4:18 : 18 When he mentioned the Ark of God, Eli fell backward off his seat by the gate. His neck was broken, and he died, for he was an old and heavy man. He had judged Israel for forty years.
• Ps 42:7 : 7 My God, my soul is downcast within me. Therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
• Ps 71:20 : 20 Though you have shown me many troubles and hardships, you will revive me again. From the depths of the earth, you will bring me up again.
• Ps 77:16 : 16 With Your mighty arm, You redeemed Your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
• Eccl 11:7-8 : 7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. 8 For if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in all of them, but let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is meaningless.
• Isa 5:30 : 30 On that day, they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks at the land, there is only darkness and distress; even the light is darkened by the clouds.
• Ezek 32:7-8 : 7 When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. 8 All the shining lights in the sky I will darken over you, and I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Lord GOD.