Ecclesiastes 12:4-14

⁴and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds at the mill; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

⁵and they shall look up, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:

⁶before the silver cord be let go, or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

⁷before the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

⁸Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.

⁹And because the Preacher was wise above others, so it was that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

¹⁰The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, even words of truth.

¹¹The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

¹²And moreover, my son, guard yourself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.

¹⁴For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.