before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
Parallel translations
- WEB Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
- KJV While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
- NKJV While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain;
- NASB before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;
- NLT Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Remember God before sun, light, moon, and stars are darkened and clouds return after rain, poetic images of the gloom of old age and decline. Turn to your Creator before life's brightness fades.
Overview
Qoheleth begins an extended allegory of aging and death, using the dimming of the heavenly lights and recurring storm clouds to depict failing strength and gathering sorrow. The imagery urges devotion to God while one still has vigor and clarity. Against this fading light, the gospel sets the unfading hope of Christ, in whose presence there is no more darkness or sorrow (Revelation 21:23; 22:5).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 5:30In that day they will roar over it, like the roaring of the sea. If one looks over the land, he will see darkness and distress; even the light will be obscured by clouds.
- 1 Sam 4:18As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years.
- 1 Sam 4:15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed because he could not see.
- Ezek 32:7–8When 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.
- Ps 77:16The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and swirled; even the depths were shaken.
- Eccl 11:7–8Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
- Ps 42:7Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.
- 1 Sam 3:2And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.
- Ps 71:20Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.
- Gen 48:10Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
- Gen 27:1When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The search that finds everything 'under the sun' to be vapor exposes the emptiness of life without God and drives us to the one who alone gives meaning, the resurrection that makes our labor not in vain.
How Ecclesiastes 12:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.