Eccl 3:12

“"Thus I perceived that there is nothing good for each of them than to rejoice and do what is good in his life. Indeed every man who eats and drinks and finds satisfaction in all his labour- it is a gift from God." Therefore the settler and the foreigner of the world has been charged that he should enjoy the time of his short life, and when the hope of a longer life has been removed, he sees everything that he has as if he is about leave this life, and he sees also what he can do well in his life. And his thoughts are not in vain thus twisted, on account of his amassed wealth. And he doesn't think that he is able to acquire more from his toil than his food and drink and if he expends anything from his wealth into good work, then only this is a gift of God. We are not provoked, as some scholars think, by such words into luxury, pleasures, and desperation as are animals, according to that phrase of Isaiah: "let us gorge ourselves and drink, for tomorrow we will die." [Is. 22, 31.] But according to the apostle: "having sustenance and clothing, we are content with these." [I Tim. 6, 8.] And whatever we have that is more than this, we use in feeding the poor and our need for charity. More to the point, since the true food is the flesh of the Lord, and his blood is the true drink, according to "anagoge [See footnote 60.]", we only regard this as good in the present world, if we actually do feed from his flesh and drink from his blood, not only in secret but even in reading the Scriptures. For true food and drink, which is taken from the word of God, is knowledge of the Scriptures. But no one believes the word of Balaam of the prophets, who says "there will be no toil against Jacob, no suffering in Israel" [Num. 23, 23.]. It is in fact contrary to this, because it is said to be a gift of God: "If anyone eats and drinks and shows he is good in all of his work" [Cfr Eccl. 3, 13.]. In fact these are the many troubles of the righteous. And the apostle complains about these, saying he has sweated in toil and suffering. But the Lord freed us for our future in toil and suffering also: "there will be no toil against Jacob, no suffering in Israel". And we read how " the blessed weep, since they will laugh" [Luc. 6, 21.], and our laughter follows the words of Job the prophet: for the "mouth will be filled with the joy of truths" [Cfr Iob. 8, 21.]. Thus now we enjoy our toil in good work, by which we restrict and restrain ourselves so that afterwards we may cease from working.”

“Here secondly, he commends present pleasure, and this in order to reprove curiosity; whence he says: And I knew that there was nothing better, supply: among these transitory goods, than to rejoice and to do good in one's life, namely to rejoice, in heart, to do good, in work. Or: to rejoice, in enjoying; Wisdom 2: "Let us everywhere leave signs of our joy": to do good, in preparing delightful things; Luke 12: "My soul, you have many goods laid up for many years: rest, eat, drink, feast." The Gloss expounds spiritually: And I knew that there was nothing better, that is, more useful, than to rejoice, namely with joy of mind; Ecclesiasticus 30: "Joyfulness of heart, this is the life of man and a treasure of holiness without failing"; and to do good in one's life, namely meritorious works; Galatians 6: "Therefore, while we have time, let us work good toward all."”