There’s a familiar rhetorical pattern to retirement announcements by most members of Congress. Whether a Democrat or a Republican, they’ll none-too-humbly brag about the federal largesse brought by them to their state or district.

They’ll also praise their own judgment and wisdom, often with a quote from William Shakespeare or the Bible about knowing when to leave. A favorite retiring lawmaker line overlaps with “Turn! Turn! Turn!” — the 1959 Pete Seeger song, and its 1965 jangly and electrified hit version by The Byrds. A tune based on Ecclesiastes 3:3 scripture: “A time to break down, and a time to build up.”