Ecclesiastes
Chapter 12
Be mindful of your Creator while you’re young, before the time of sorrow arrives when you have to say, “This gives me no pleasure.”
And before the sun, moon, and stars withdraw their light, and before the clouds gather again after the rain.
On the day when the guardians of the house tremble, when sturdy men are bowed and those at the mill stop working because they are too few, when it grows dim for those looking through the windows,
and the doors are shut, and the noise of the mill grows faint, the sparrow stops chirping and the bird song is silenced,
when one fears the slopes and walking becomes frightening; yet the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper is fat, and the caperberry bears fruit that serves no purpose, because man goes onward to his eternal home and mourners gather in the street,
even before the silver chain is broken or the golden globe is shattered, before the pitcher is broken at the fountain or the wheel at the mill,
before the dust returns to the earth from which it came, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Meaningless! Meaningless! The Teacher says: all is meaningless!
Epilogue
Besides being a wise man, Qoheleth taught the people; he listened, studied, and organized a substantial collection of proverbs.
Qoheleth aimed to write in a pleasant style and honestly express the words of truth.
The words of the wise serve as encouragement, and their collected sayings are like a fence whose many pegs are assembled by one shepherd.
Beware, my son, of searching too far. Writing many books is pointless, and intense studying can be physically exhausting.
Conclusion: fear God and follow his commandments, for everything depends on this.
God will bring every action to judgment, including what is hidden, whether good or bad.
Commentaries
Youth and Old Age.
Finally, Qohelet discusses youth and old age with the characteristic tone of ancient teachers giving advice to a student. However, the expression “my son,” typical of these writings, is missing. The theme of youth (11:7-10) is presented positively, encouraging young people to enjoy themselves and be happy. In a way, it diverges from traditional wisdom, although it is not far from it in the way it describes enjoying life (cf. Sir 30:21-23). He describes old age (12:1-7) negatively, as the end of life and happiness. Various natural elements are used as metaphors to develop this theme—some might even see verses 3 onward as an allegory of the parts of the human body.
In 12:8, the teaching of the wise Qohelet concludes with the impact of the final instruction, which gives it the feel of a testament—a literary genre that was very popular between the 2nd century B.C. and the 2nd century A.D.—and thus a special significance. The book wraps up as it began, but it reflects on the journey taken: it has revealed human beings’ struggles and their greatness in the most important areas of their lives.
We must interpret the wise man’s final message just as we did at the beginning when we read the book: for Ecclesiastes, youth symbolizes life, while old age symbolizes death. Where should today’s believer assess things, people, and the different stages of life from?
Epilogue.
This section serves as an appendix from the author’s disciples. Two distinct parts are evident: 1. Verses 9-11 contain words of praise, with the “words of Qohelet” identified with the “words of the wise man.” 2. Verses 12-14 differ in style from the previous verses; the expression “my son” is typical of traditional wisdom. Furthermore, the author does not appear to agree with Qohelet, although he accepts him—he seeks doctrinal accuracy and views him as an orthodox believer. Verse 14 diverges from the book’s more traditional thinking.