Ecclesiastes 12
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4And 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;
5Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- כֹּלkôlH36056× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8345× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- אֵתʼêthH8535× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- דָּבָרdâbârH16974× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- כִּיkîyH35884× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- הֶבֶלhebelH18923× in this chapter
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
- יוֹםyôwmH31173× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- לֹאlôʼH38083× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- אֵלʼêlH4133× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4303× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- עַדʻadH57043× in this chapter
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
- עַלʻalH59213× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- קֹהֶלֶתqôhelethH69533× in this chapter
a (female) assembler (i.e. lecturer); abstractly, preaching (used as a 'nom de plume', Koheleth)
- רָבָהrâbâhH72353× in this chapter
to increase (in whatever respect)
- שׁוּבshûwbH77253× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- בַּיִתbayithH10042× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1202× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- הָיָהhâyâhH19612× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- חָכָםchâkâmH24502× in this chapter
wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)
- חֵפֶץchêphetsH26562× in this chapter
pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)
- חָשַׁךְchâshakH28212× in this chapter
to be dark (as withholding light); transitively, to darken
- יוֹתֵרyôwthêrH31482× in this chapter
properly, redundant; hence, over and above, as adjective, noun, adverb or conjunction
- יָרֵאyârêʼH33722× in this chapter
to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten
- אַיִןʼayinH3692× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- אִםʼimH5182× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- נָתַןnâthanH54142× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- אָמַרʼâmarH5592× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- קוֹלqôwlH69632× in this chapter
a voice or sound
- רַעraʻH74512× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- רָצַץrâtsatsH75332× in this chapter
to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively
- שׁוּקshûwqH77842× in this chapter
a street (as run over)
- שָׁמַרshâmarH81042× in this chapter
properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9352× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- בֵּןbênH11211× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- בַּעַלbaʻalH11671× in this chapter
a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense)
- בָּקַשׁbâqashH12451× in this chapter
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
- בָּרָאbârâʼH12541× in this chapter
(absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes)
- בָּשָׂרbâsârH13201× in this chapter
flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman
- בַּתbathH13231× in this chapter
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
- גָּבֹהַּgâbôahhH13641× in this chapter
elevated (or elated), powerful, arrogant