And all the prayers will not save you.
And all the books will not sustain you.
And all the peace will not comfort you.
And all the truth will not counsel you.
And all the charity will not absolve you.
And all the trees will not give you breath.
And all the rain will not wet your tongue.
And all the warnings will not protect you.
And all the songs will not heal you.
And all the signs will not guide you.
And the sun, and the stars, and the moon will not offer light.
But faith and love will have the power.
And in the end,
what matters the house you have built
if its foundation is not strong,
or the relationships you have established
if their core is not love,
or the wine you have pressed
if the grapes first turned sour,
or the lands you have traveled
if your mind remains closed,
or the treasures you have mounted
if your stocks suddenly plunge,
or the prayers you have recited
if your tongue speaks only rote,
or the papers you have written
if the ink begins to fade,
or the armor you have smelted
if you also forged swords,
or the honors you have been given
if the grave strips them away,
or any action you have taken
if it leads to selfish gains?
For all the events of this world
are temporary and fleeting,
but the spirit alone will spring eternal.