< Ecclesiastes 11 >
1 Send forth your bread upon the face of the water: for you shall find it after many days.
Cast thy bread upon the running waters: for after a long time thou shalt find it 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 portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon 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 be full, they will pour out rain upon the earth. If the tree fall to the south, or to the north, in what place soever it shall fall, there shall it be.
4 He that observes the wind sows not; and he that looks at the clouds will not reap.
He that observeth the wind, shall not sow: and he that considereth the clouds, shall never reap.
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 thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones are joined together in the womb of her that is with child: so thou knowest not the works of God, who is the maker of 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 sow thy seed, and In the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring up, this or that: and if both together, it shall be the better.
7 Moreover the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.
The light is sweet, and it is delightful 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.
If a man live many years, and have rejoiced in them all, he must remember the darksome time, and the many days: which when they shall come, the things past shall be accused of vanity.
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.
Rejoice therefore, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart be in that which is good in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: and know that for all these God will bring thee into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for youth and folly are vanity.
Remove anger from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh. For youth and pleasure are vain.