Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.

Cast your bread upon the waters: for you shall find it after many days.

2 Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil shall be upon the earth.

3 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain upon the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be.

4 He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap.

He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.

5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

As you know not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all.

6 Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand: for you know not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.

Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

8 So if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is futile.

But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

9 Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes: but know you, that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

10 So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.

Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.