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Ecclesiastes 12:4

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— and the door shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding shall be low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— And the doors in the street be closed, when the sound of the mill become low,—and one rise at the chirp of a small bird, and low-voiced be all the daughters of song;
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— And they shall shut the doors in the street, when the grinder's voice shall be low, and they shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall grow deaf.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— And the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— And the doores shal be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musicke shall be brought low.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— And the ears shall be so dulled that the sound of women grinding at the mill is low, and a man shall rise up at the song of birds; and the sound of women singing shall be low;
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— and they shall shut the doors in the market-place, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
And the doors 1817
{1817} Prime
דֶּלֶת
deleth
{deh'-leth}
From H1802; something swinging, that is, the valve of a door.
shall be shut 5462
{5462} Prime
סָגַר
cagar
{saw-gar'}
A primitive root; to shut up; figuratively to surrender.
z8795
<8795> Grammar
Stem - Pual (See H8849)
Mood - Perfect (See H8816)
Count - 199
in the streets, 7784
{7784} Prime
שׁוּק
shuwq
{shook}
From H7783; a street (as run over).
when the sound 6963
{6963} Prime
קוֹל
qowl
{kole}
From an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound.
of the grinding 2913
{2913} Prime
טַחֲנָה
tachanah
{takh-an-aw'}
From H2912; a hand mill; hence (figuratively) chewing.
is low, y8217
[8217] Standard
שָׁפָל
shaphal
{shaw-fawl'}
From H8213; depressed, literally or figuratively.
x8213
(8213) Complement
שָׁפֵל
shaphel
{shaw-fale'}
A primitive root; to depress or sink (especially figuratively to humiliate, intransitively or transitively).
and he shall rise up 6965
{6965} Prime
קוּם
quwm
{koom}
A primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literally, figuratively, intensively and causatively).
z8799
<8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 19885
at the voice 6963
{6963} Prime
קוֹל
qowl
{kole}
From an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound.
of the bird, 6833
{6833} Prime
צִפּוֹר
tsippowr
{tsip-pore'}
From H6852; a little bird (as hopping).
and all x3605
(3605) Complement
כֹּל
kol
{kole}
From H3634; properly the whole; hence all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense).
the daughters 1323
{1323} Prime
בַּת
bath
{bath}
From H1129 (as feminine of H1121); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively).
of musick 7892
{7892} Prime
שִׁיר
shiyr
{sheer}
The second form being feminine; from H7891; a song; abstractly singing.
shall be brought low; 7817
{7817} Prime
שָׁחַח
shachach
{shaw-khakh'}
A primitive root; to sink or depress (reflexively or causatively).
z8735
<8735> Grammar
Stem - Niphal (See H8833)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 1602
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Ecclesiastes 12:4

_ _ doorsthe lips, which are closely shut together as doors, by old men in eating, for, if they did not do so, the food would drop out (Job 41:14; Psalms 141:3; Micah 7:5).

_ _ in the streets — that is, toward the street, “the outer doors” [Maurer and Weiss].

_ _ sound of ... grinding — The teeth being almost gone, and the lips “shut” in eating, the sound of mastication is scarcely heard.

_ _ the bird — the cock. In the East all mostly rise with the dawn. But the old are glad to rise from their sleepless couch, or painful slumbers still earlier, namely, when the cock crows, before dawn (Job 7:4) [Holden]. The least noise awakens them [Weiss].

_ _ daughters of music — the organs that produce and that enjoy music; the voice and ear.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

See commentary on Ecclesiastes 12:1-7.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Ecclesiastes 12:4

In — Or, towards the streets: which lead into the streets. This may be understood either of the outward senses, which, as doors, let in outward objects to the soul: or rather the mouth, the two lips, here expressed by a word of the dual number, which like a door, open or shut the way that leads into the streets or common passages of the body; which also are principal instruments both of speaking and eating. And these are said to be shut, not absolutely, but comparatively, because men in old age grow dull and listless, having little appetite to eat, and are very frequently indisposed for discourse. When the sound — When the teeth are loose and few, whereby both his speech is low, and the noise which he makes in eating is but small. Shall rise — From his bed, being weary with lying, and unable to get sleep. The bird — As soon as the birds begin to chirp, which is early in the morning, whereas young men, can lie and sleep long. The daughters — All those senses which are employed in music. Brought low — Shall be cast down from their former excellency, and become incapable either of making musick, or of delighting in it.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Ecclesiastes 12:4

And the (f) doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the (g) grinding shall be low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the (h) bird, and all the (i) daughters of music shall be brought low;

(f) The lips or mouth.

(g) When the jaws will scarce open and not be able to chew any more.

(h) He will not be able to sleep.

(i) That is the wind pipes or the ears will be deaf and not able to hear singing.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
all:

2 Samuel 19:35 I [am] this day fourscore years old: [and] can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
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2S 19:35.

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