12:3 when those who keep watch over the house 1 begin to tremble, 2
and the virile men begin to stoop over, 3
and the grinders 4 begin to cease because they grow few,
and those who look through the windows grow dim, 5
12:4 and the doors along the street are shut;
when the sound of the grinding mill 6 grows low,
and one is awakened 7 by the sound of a bird,
and all their 8 songs 9 grow faint, 10
12:5 and they are afraid of heights and the dangers 11 in the street;
the almond blossoms 12 grow white, 13
and the grasshopper 14 drags itself along, 15
and the caper berry 16 shrivels up 17 –
because man goes to his eternal home, 18
and the mourners go about in the streets –
12:6 before the silver cord is removed,
or the golden bowl is broken,
or the pitcher is shattered at the well, 19
or the water wheel 20 is broken at the cistern –
12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was,
and the life’s breath 21 returns to God who gave it.