ECCLESIASTES Xii - INTERPRETATION

These writings are poetical and figurative expressions alluding to life from youth to senility.

They cannot be forced into any single line of interpretation, and the meaning must be decided upon by the reader in the same manner as that of his impression of a Supreme Being. There could be several meanings or translations of most verses but the general interpretation is, according to the Bible, that 'The Fear of God is the Chief Antidote of Vanity.'

Remember 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:

'Serve, fear, and revere the Most High in the days of your youth while you still have the ability and stamina, before the troublesome times approach when you become weary with age and you will say; - "I have no pleasure in life, all desires and enjoyment of my youth have left me."'

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

'While the eyesight is still good, the outlook on life is bright, and you have the ability to overcome difficulties that arise before the clouds of old age set in.'

In the days 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 shall be darkened.

'When man becomes decrepit and feeble, and his spine shall bend with the weight of age, and the legs bow, and the teeth decay and are removed causing biting and mastication to become difficult, his eyesight is failing and he can no longer see or reason with accuracy'.

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 MUSIC shall be brought low;

'He does not travel as he used to because of his feebleness, he has slowed down in movement and activities; he does not require the sleep that he did in his younger days and although he may not hear them, he awakens at daybreak with the birds, his hearing is failing badly and he does not receive all sound of voice or music, the treble scale goes first.'

Also 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:

'He cannot climb as he used to, hills are a concern and his equilibrium is failing, he is afraid of what he cannot do with the coming of old age; many of his physical pleasures and desires are no longer of interest, the hair turns to white like the blossoming almond tree, and any weight is a burden as is the burden of keeping and looking after himself. He knows he is going to die and his friends and mourners will be left to this mortal domain.'

Or 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.

'The "silver cord" refers symbolically to the spinal marrow. Its loosening is the cessation of all nervous sensibility. The"golden bowl"could be the brain, which is rendered incapable of performing by the approach of death; the heart could be the “fountain” and/or the “cistern”,and the “pitcher” the great vein that carries the blood to the right ventricle of the heart, while the 'wheel' might represent the great artery which receives the blood from the left ventrical.'

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

'We are taught that the body was created from dust and is returned to dust upon death. The spirit that was the gift of the Creator is returned from whence it came.'

Compiled from questions and answers on this topic and -from the 'Manual for Masonic Instructors and Students' as well as personal interpretations of the writer.

Submitted by V.W. Bro. George E. Zwicker of Corinthian Lodge No. 101.

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