Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.

Send forth your bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days you find it.

2 Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For you do not know what evil is on the earth.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall in the south, or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.

If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty [themselves]; And if a tree falls in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falls, there it is.

4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Whoever is observing the wind does not sow, And whoever is looking on the thick clouds does not reap.

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all things.

As you do not know what [is] the way of the spirit, How—bones in the womb of the full one, So you do not know the work of God who makes the whole.

6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

In the morning sow your seed, And at evening do not withdraw your hand, For you do not know which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike [are] good.

7 And the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

Sweet also [is] the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.

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

But if man lives many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! All that is coming [is] vanity.

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

Rejoice, O young man, in your childhood, And let your heart gladden you in days of your youth, And walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes, And know that for all these, God brings you into judgment.

10 Therefore remove vexation from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.

And turn aside anger from your heart, And cause evil to pass from your flesh, For the childhood and the age [are] vanity!