Ecclesiastes 12:2

before the sun and the light ¹  of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear ²  after the rain;

before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;

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

It will be too late then to remember him, when the light of the sun and moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among the clouds.

Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire.

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;

before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain;

While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain;

before the sun and the light ¹  of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear ²  after the rain;

¹ tn Heb “the light and the moon and the stars.” The phrase “the light and the moon” is a hendiadys (two separate terms denoting one idea) or perhaps even a hendiatris (three separate terms denoting one idea) for “the light of the moon and stars” (e.g., Gen 1:14).

² tn The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”) here denotes “to desist” (HALOT 1430 s.v. שׁוּב 3). It pictures the disappearance of the clouds as a result of the precipitation of their contents.