What advantage does man have from all his work
Which he does under the sun (while earthbound)?

There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.

I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven. God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

For what does a person gain from everything that he accomplishes and from his inner life struggles that he undergoes while working on earth?

but heaviness, sorrow and disquietness all the days of his life? Insomuch that his heart cannot rest in the night. Is not this also a vain thing?

The only worthwhile thing for a human being is to eat, drink, and enjoy life's goodness that he finds in what he accomplishes. This, I observed, is also from the hand of God himself,

For who can eat [and drink], and who can enjoy [life] apart from him?

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy [the fruit of] his labor, for this is his lot in life. {For no one knows what will happen in the future.}

So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.

There is one man, no more but himself alone, having neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of his careful travail, his eyes cannot be satisfied with riches. Yet, doth he not remember himself, and say, "For whom do I take such travail? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life?" This is also a vain and miserable thing.

Whoso is loving silver is not satisfied with silver, nor he who is in love with stores with increase. Even this is vanity.

Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

For what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have in knowing how to face life?

Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this? 12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them?

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

It is better to be sorry than to laugh, for when the countenance is heavy the heart is joyful.

Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

There is no man who has power and authority over the wind to restrain the wind,
Nor does he have authority over the day of death;
There is no discharge [from service] during time of war,
And evil will not rescue those who [actively seek to] practice it.

Although the sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will be good for those who fear God--because they fear {his presence}.

But things will not go well for the wicked person: he will not lengthen his life like a shadow, since he has no fear before God.

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Whoever is joined to all the living has hope. After all, even a live dog is better than a dead lion!

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

So enjoy yourself in your youth, young man, and be encouraged during your younger days. Live as you like, consistent with your world view, but keep in mind that God will bring you to account for everything.

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Earnestly remember your Creator before the silver cord [of life] is broken, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher at the fountain is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life's breath returns to God who gave it.