Ecclesiastes 2:20-26

New Century Version

²⁰ So I became sad about all the hard work I had done here on earth. ²¹ People can work hard using all their wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but they will die, and other people will get the things for which they worked. They did not do the work, but they will get everything. This is also unfair and useless. ²² What do people get for all their work and struggling here on earth? ²³ All of their lives their work is full of pain and sorrow, and even at night their minds don’t rest. This is also useless.

²⁴ The best that people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I saw that even this comes from God, ²⁵ because no one can eat or enjoy life without him. ²⁶ If people please God, God will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But sinners will get only the work of gathering and storing wealth that they will have to give to the ones who please God. So all their work is useless, like chasing the wind.