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 musick shall be brought low;
The doors will be closed in the streets, when the sound of grinding grain becomes quiet, and he will wake up at the sound of a bird, and all the musical voices will fade away;
The writer is describing how aging affects our senses and daily life - we become more isolated, sleep lightly, and lose our ability to enjoy music and sounds as we once did.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of a famous poetic passage where the Preacher (traditionally Solomon) uses metaphorical language to describe the effects of old age on the human body. In ancient times, grain grinding was a common daily sound, and music was central to community life, so their absence or diminishment would be particularly noticeable.
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