עַ֠ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וְהָא֔וֹר וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים וְשָׁ֥בוּ הֶעָבִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃
Davanti al sole, alla luce, alla luna e alle stelle, si oscurano e le nuvole ritornano dopo la pioggia;
Rashi on Ecclesiastes
Before the darkening of the sun. Our Rabbis said that this שֶׁמֶשׁ refers to the forehead, which gives light and shines on a young man,3See Rashi in Maseches Shabbos 151b. but as he grows older, it becomes wrinkled and does not shine.4Alternatively, before becoming ill and bedridden. (Metsudas Dovid)
Kohelet Rabbah
“Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2);
“Before the sun…are darkened” – this is [a person’s] countenance; “the light” – this is the nose; “the moon” – this is the forehead; “and the stars” – these are the cheekbones. “The clouds return after the rain” – Rabbi Levi said two matters about this, one for Torah scholars and one for ignoramuses. One for Torah scholars: One comes to weep, and his eyes shed tears [copiously]. One for ignoramuses: One who comes to urinate, excrement emerges and precedes it.
“Before the sun…are darkened” – this is [a person’s] countenance; “the light” – this is the nose; “the moon” – this is the forehead; “and the stars” – these are the cheekbones. “The clouds return after the rain” – Rabbi Levi said two matters about this, one for Torah scholars and one for ignoramuses. One for Torah scholars: One comes to weep, and his eyes shed tears [copiously]. One for ignoramuses: One who comes to urinate, excrement emerges and precedes it.
Rashi on Ecclesiastes
The light. This refers to the nose, which is the form of the face’s features.