and the moon
and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds
return after the rain;
3 when the
keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong
men stoop,
when the
grinders cease because they are few,
and those
looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the
doors to the street are closed
and the sound
of grinding fades;
when men rise
up at the sound of birds,
but all their
songs grow faint;
5 when men are
afraid of heights
and of dangers
in the streets;
when the
almond tree blossoms
and the
grasshopper drags himself along
and desire no
longer is stirred.
Then man goes
to his eternal home
and mourners
go about the streets.
6 Remember
him—before the silver cord is
severed,
or the golden
bowl is broken;
before the
pitcher is shattered at the spring,
or the wheel
broken at the well,
7 and the dust
returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit
returns to God who gave it.
8
"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the
Teacher.
"Everything is
meaningless!"
