Ecclesiastes 12:6

12:6 before the silver cord is removed,

or the golden bowl is broken,

or the pitcher is shattered at the well, ¹ 

or the water wheel ²  is broken at the cistern –

[12:6]  ¹ tn Heb “water-spring.”

[12:6]  ² tn The term גַּלְגַּל (galgal, “wheel”) refers to the “water wheel” or “paddle wheel” for drawing water from a well (HALOT 190 s.v. I גַּלְגַּל 2; BDB 165 s.v. גַּלְגַּל 1.b). This Hebrew noun is related to the Akkadian term gulgullu (“pot”), as well as Phoenician (?) גלגל (“wheel for drawing water”). The Latin term girgillus (“lever for the bucket”) is a late derivation from this term. See G. Dalman, Arbeit und Sitte in Palästina, 2:225-28.