The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 12:2 Explained

Ecclesiastes 12:2

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

YLT: While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.

Darby: before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

ASV: before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Ecclesiastes 12:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 - "the End Of The Matter"
This comparison of the human body to a house is extremely beautiful. The inference is obvious that our bodies are not ourselves, but only our tenement. Our sojourn in this world is on a lodger's tenure. The keepers of the house are, of course, the arms and hands. The grinding is low as in advancing life we lose our teeth. The door is the month, for in age we talk and laugh less, and our lips become compressed. The voice pipes and mutters. The almond tree, with its white blossoms, is, of course, an appropriate symbol of old age. The lamp of life finally falls with a crash on the floor, and the wheel is broken.
What, then, is the conclusion of the whole matter? This: that earthly delights are transient; that all this world can offer is an inn for a lodging-it is not our home; that the soul must go forth on its great quest at the hour of death; and that then the one all-important consideration will be, What has been its attitude toward God? Let us love God with the loving fear of grieving Him that casts out the fear which has torment. This is the whole matter; that is the one matter of overshadowing importance [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 12

1  the Creator is to be remembered in due time
8  The preacher's care to edify
13  the fear of God is the chief antidote for vanity

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 12:2 mean?

Even to while not Are darkened the sun and the light and the moon and the stars and do not return the clouds after the rain
עַ֠ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־ תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וְהָא֔וֹר וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים וְשָׁ֥בוּ הֶעָבִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַגָּֽשֶׁם

עַ֠ד  Even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  while 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ  Are  darkened 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָשַׁךְ 
Sense: to be or become dark, grow dim, be darkened, be black, be hidden.
הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
וְהָא֔וֹר  and  the  light 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ  and  the  moon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵחַ  
Sense: moon.
וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים  and  the  stars 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּוכָב  
Sense: star.
וְשָׁ֥בוּ  and  do  not  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
הֶעָבִ֖ים  the  clouds 
Parse: Article, Noun, common plural
Root: עָב 
Sense: darkness, cloud, thicket.
אַחַ֥ר  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הַגָּֽשֶׁם  the  rain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֶּשֶׁם  
Sense: rain, shower.