The writer of Ecclesiastes also gave 'hope' for this life...live it, even though it will end the same for all.
Ecc 12:8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity.
Ecc 12:9 And more than that, the Preacher was wise; he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he listened, and looked, and set in order many proverbs.
Ecc 12:10 The Preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and words of truth written on uprightness.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads; yea, as nails driven by the masters of collections, they are given from one Shepherd.
Ecc 12:12 And more than these, my son, be warned: The making of many books has no end, and much study is the weariness of the flesh.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this applies to every man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with all that is hidden, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
Jesus told us not to be surprised when they hate us. He told us to Rejoice, and Paul said to rejoice. THAT is the 'reward' in this life, and much more to follow.
Paul told us to examine our lives and to make sure that the 'persecution' we suffer is NOT for behaving badly.
He told us that if there is no resurrection, we of all people are the most miserable. Why? Because 'we' (assuming we do) in following the words and example of Jesus deny ourselves some 'reward' now in favor of reward in the next age. We judge ourselves now in anticipation that there IS a 'new life' while the world fools themselves with religious fairy-tales or a complete lack of faith in a future at all, much less one that trends toward good. We humble ourselves so that we may be exalted. We do what HE DID.
Paul is not commanding or commending us to "be miserable", however. If we have faith, Grace produces joy.
We're also told that we have an earnest or down-payment on this Spirit. It matters nothing, if we believe, what 'life' hands us. Be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world. He is reconciling ALL THINGS to Himself, AND He's given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation. Do it.
Evil is in the world for many reasons. They are too numerous to list. But one of them is so that HIS PEOPLE can be trained to do good in the face of it. Start. Learn from your mistakes AND your successes. It is true that our 'successes' seem vain and insufficient, but that doesn't last forever. And neither do our failures.
George, nobody can really know what the writer of Ecclesiastes knew, Paul knew, and Jesus our LORD knew unless and until they "follow". Jesus endured it ALL, yet without sin. For the life of me, I can't envision Christ CONSUMED with 'sorrow' even though He did FULLY EXPERIENCE it. What CONSUMED Him was love...and that it a gift that works both today and without ever failing.