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I applied my mind

Here the author refers to himself by his "mind" to emphasize his thoughts. AT: "I determined" or "I applied myself" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche)

to study and to search out

These two phrases mean the same thing and emphasize how diligently he studied. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet)

under heaven

This refers to things that are done on earth. AT: "on the earth" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)

children of mankind

"human beings"

all the deeds that are done

This can be stated in active form. AT: "everything that people do" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)

under the sun

This refers to things that are done on earth. See how you translated this in Ecclesiastes 1:3. AT: "on the earth" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom)

look

The author uses this word to draw attention to what he says next. AT: "indeed" or "really" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom)

amount to vapor ... an attempt to shepherd the wind

These two phrases are both metaphors that emphasize the idea of things being useless and futile. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism)

amount to vapor

"are only mist." The author speaks of useless and meaningless things as if they were "vapor." Just as vapor disappears and does not last, things have no lasting value. AT: "are as useless as vapor" or "are meaningless" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

an attempt to shepherd the wind

The author says that everything that people do is as useless as if they were trying to control the wind. AT: "are as useless as trying to control the wind" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted

This can be stated in active form. AT: "People cannot straighten things that are twisted! They cannot count what is not there" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)

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