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]])
This refers to things that are done on earth. See how you translated this in [Ecclesiastes 1:3](./01.md). AT: "on the earth" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])
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 uselessas 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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