Ecclesiastes 11

1 Send forth your bread upon the face of the water: for you shall find it after many days.

Put out your bread on the face of the waters; for after a long time it will come back to you again.

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

Give a part to seven or even to eight, because you have no knowledge of the evil which will be on the earth.

3 If the clouds be filled with rain, they pour [it] out upon the earth: and if a tree fall southward, or if it fall northward, in the place where the tree shall fall, there it shall be.

If the clouds are full of rain, they send it down on the earth; and if a tree comes down to the south, or the north, in whatever place it comes down, there it will be.

4 He that observes the wind sows not; and he that looks at the clouds will not reap.

He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.

5 Amongst whom none knows what is the way of the wind: as the bones [are hid] in the womb of a pregnant [woman], so you shall not know the works of God, [even] all things whatever he shall do.

As you have no knowledge of the way of the wind, or of the growth of the bones in the body of her who is with child, even so you have no knowledge of the works of God who has made all.

6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening let not your hand be slack: for you know not what sort shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both shall be good alike.

In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that — or if the two will be equally good.

7 Moreover the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

Truly the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

8 For even if a man should 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.

But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

9 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 blameless, but not in the sight of your eyes: yet know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement.

Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

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

So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.