¹⁸ I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but ^(A)beasts. ^19 (B)For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.^{[a] 20} All go to one place. All are from ^(C)the dust, and to dust all return. ²¹ Who knows whether ^(D)the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? ²² So I saw that there is ^(E)nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for ^(F)that is his lot. Who can bring him to see ^(G)what will be after him?

¹⁰ Whatever has come to be has ^(A)already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to ^(B)dispute with one stronger than he. ¹¹ The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? ¹² For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his ^(C)vain^[a] life, which he passes like ^(D)a shadow? For who can tell man what will be ^(E)after him under the sun?

The Contrast of Wisdom and Folly

³ This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that ^(A)the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and ^(B)madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. ⁴ But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. ⁵ For the living know that they will die, but ^(C)the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for ^(D)the memory of them is forgotten. ⁶ Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

Enjoy Life with the One You Love

⁷ Go, ^(E)eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

^8 (F)Let your garments be always white. Let not ^(G)oil be lacking on your head.

⁹ Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your ^(H)vain^[a] life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your ^(I)portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. ¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, ^(J)do it with your might,^{[b] (K)}for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

⁷ Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to ^(A)see the sun.

⁸ So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember ^(B)that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is ^(C)vanity.^[a]

^9 (D)Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. ^(E)Walk in the ways of your heart and ^(F)the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things ^(G)God will bring you into judgment.

¹⁰ Remove vexation from your heart, and ^(H)put away pain^[b] from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Remember Your Creator in Your Youth

12 Remember also your Creator in ^(I)the days of your youth, before ^(J)the evil days come and the years draw near of which ^(K)you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; ² before ^(L)the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, ³ in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and ^(M)those who look through the windows are dimmed, ⁴ and ^(N)the doors on the street are shut—when ^(O)the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all ^(P)the daughters of song are brought low— ⁵ they are afraid also of what is high, and ^(Q)terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,^[c] and desire fails, because man is going to his ^(R)eternal ^(S)home, and the ^(T)mourners go about the streets— ⁶ before the silver cord is snapped, or ^(U)the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is ^(V)shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, ⁷ and ^(W)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and ^(X)the spirit returns to God ^(Y)who gave it.