Eclesiastés 12:2

2 Acuérdate de él antes de que la luz del sol, de la luna y de las estrellas se vuelva tenue a tus ojos viejos, y las nubes negras oscurezcan para siempre tu cielo.

Eclesiastés 12:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 12:2

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not
darkened
The wise man proceeds to describe the infirmities of old age, and the troubles that attend it; in order to engage young men to regard God and religion, before these come upon them, which greatly unfit for his service. This the Targum and Midrash, and, after them, Jarchi, interpret of the splendour of the countenance of man, of the light of his eyes, and the beauty of his cheeks, and other parts of his face; which decrease and go off at old age, and paleness and wrinkles succeed: and others of the adversities and calamities which attend persons at such years; which are sometimes in Scripture signified by the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, ( Isaiah 13:10 ) ; but some choose to understand this, more literally, of the dimness of sight in old men; by whom the light of the sun, moon, and stars, is scarcely discerned: but as this infirmity is afterwards described, I rather think with others, that by the "sun", "light", and "moon", are meant the superior and inferior faculties of the soul, the understanding, mind, judgment, will, and affections; and, by the "stars", those bright notions and ideas raised in the fancy and imagination, and fixed in the memory; all which are greatly impaired or lost in old age: so Alshech interprets the sun and moon of the soul and spirit, and the stars of the senses; "light" is not in the Syriac version; nor the clouds return after the rain;
which some understand of catarrhs, defluxions, and rheums, flowing at the eyes, nose, and mouth, one after another, which frequently attend, and are very troublesome to persons in years; but may be more generally applied to the perpetual succession of evils, afflictions, and disorders, in old age; as soon as one is got over, another follows, billow after billow; or, like showers in April, as soon as one is gone, another comes. The Targum paraphrases it of the eyebrows distilling tears, like clouds after rain.

Eclesiastés 12:2 In-Context

1 No dejes que la emoción de la juventud te lleve a olvidarte de tu Creador. Hónralo mientras seas joven, antes de que te pongas viejo y digas: «La vida ya no es agradable».

2 Acuérdate de él antes de que la luz del sol, de la luna y de las estrellas se vuelva tenue a tus ojos viejos, y las nubes negras oscurezcan para siempre tu cielo.

3 Acuérdate de él antes de que tus piernas —guardianas de tu casa— empiecen a temblar, y tus hombros —los guerreros fuertes— se encorven. Acuérdate de él antes de que tus dientes —esos pocos sirvientes que te quedan— dejen de moler, y tus pupilas —las que miran por las ventanas— ya no vean con claridad.

4 Acuérdate de él antes de que la puerta de las oportunidades de la vida se cierre y disminuya el sonido de la actividad diaria. Ahora te levantas con el primer canto de los pájaros, pero un día todos esos trinos apenas serán perceptibles.

5 Acuérdate de él antes de que tengas miedo de caerte y te preocupes de los peligros de la calle; antes de que el cabello se te ponga blanco como un almendro en flor y arrastres los pies sin energía como un saltamontes moribundo, y la alcaparra ya no estimule el deseo sexual. Acuérdate de él antes de que te falte poco para llegar a la tumba —tu hogar eterno— donde los que lamentan tu muerte llorarán en tu entierro.