4. when the doors to the street are shut,when the sound of the mill fades,the sound of the bird rises,and all the singers come down low;
5. when people are afraid of things aboveand of terrors along the way;when the almond tree blanches, the locust droops,and the caper-berry comes to nothing;when the human goes to the eternal abode,with mourners all around in the street;
6. before the silver cord snaps and the gold bowl shatters;the jar is broken at the spring and the wheel is crushed at the pit;
7. before dust returns to the earth as it was beforeand the life-breath returns to God who gave it.
8. Perfectly pointless, says the Teacher, everything is pointless.