Ecclesiastes 12:5-14

⁵Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.

⁶While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.

⁷And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.

⁸Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole is vanity.

⁹And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.

¹⁰The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written by the upright, words of truth.

¹¹Words of the wise are as goads, and as fences planted by the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.

¹²And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this is the whole of man.

¹⁴For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'