5 The living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no more reward for the dead when the memory of them has faded.
6 Their love, their hate, and their passions have already vanished. They will never again take part in anything that happens under the sun.
7 Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because God has already accepted what you’ve done.
8 Always wear clean clothes, and never go without lotion on your head.
9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, during all your brief, pointless life. God has given you your pointless life under the sun. This is your lot ⌊in life⌋ and what you get for the hard work that you do under the sun.
10 Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with ⌊all⌋ your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you’re going.
11 I saw something else under the sun. The race isn’t ⌊won⌋ by fast runners, or the battle by heroes. Wise people don’t necessarily have food. Intelligent people don’t necessarily have riches, and skilled people don’t necessarily receive special treatment. But time and unpredictable events overtake all of them.