|
OLD AGE.
"Remember your Creator in the days of your
youth, before the time of trouble comes and the years draw near when you say, 'I
see no purpose in them.' Remember Him before the sun and the light of day give
place to darkness, before the moon and the stars grow dim, and the clouds return
with the rain when the guardians of the
house tremble, and the strong men
stoop, when the women grinding the
meal cease work because they are few, and those who
look through the windows look no longer,
when the street-doors are shut, when
the noise of the mill is low, when the chirping of
the sparrow grows faint and the song-birds fall silent; when
men are afraid of a steep place and the
street is full of terrors, when the blossom whitens
on the almond-tree and the locust's paunch is
swollen and caperbuds have no mere
zest. For man goes to his everlasting
home, and the mourners go about the streets. Remember Him before
the silver cord is snapped and the
golden bowl is broken, before the
pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel
broken at the well, before the dust returns to the earth as it
began and the spirit returns to God who gave it."
(Eccles 12:1-7 NEB).
GUARDIANS OF THE HOUSE: One's hands and limbs begin to shake.
STRONG MEN STOOP: Back and abdominal muscles become weak.
WOMEN GRINDING THE MEAL FEW: Loss of teeth through decay.
THROUGH WINDOWS LOOK NO LONGER: One's eyesight fails.
STREET-DOORS ARE SHUT: No longer going out or receiving visitors.
CHIRPING OF THE SPARROW GROWS FAINT: Hearing failing.
MEN ARE AFRAID OF A STEEP PLACE: Fear of heights and falling.
BLOSSOM WHITENS: One's hair becomes white.
LOCUST'S PAUNCH IS SWOLLEN: Abdominal muscles lose tone.
CAPERBUDS HAVE NO MORE ZEST: Seasoned food lacks flavour.
MAN GOES TO HIS EVERLASTING HOME: Spirit returns to God.
SILVER CORD IS SNAPPED: Spinal cord is broken.
GOLDEN BOWL IS BROKEN: The brain ceases to function.
SPRING AND THE WHEEL BROKEN: Heart and blood supply stops.
|