Ecclesiastes 11

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

Cast thy bread upon the face of the waters; for after many days wilt thou find it again.

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

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil may come upon the earth.—

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves on 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.

If the clouds be full of rain, they will empty it out upon the earth; and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, on the place where the tree falleth, there will it remain.

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

He that watcheth the wind will not sow; and he that gazeth on the clouds will not reap.

5 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.

As thou knowest not which is the way of the wind, as little as what is enclosed in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou canst not know the works of God who maketh all.

6 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.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand rest; for thou knowest not which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both of them will be alike good.

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

Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun;

8 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.

For if a man live [even] many years, let him rejoice in them all; and let him remember the days of darkness; for they will be many; all that cometh is 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, and in the sight of your eyes: but know you, that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youthful vigor, and walk firmly in the ways of thy heart, and in [the direction which] thy eyes see: but know thou, that concerning all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

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

And remove vexation from thy heart, and cause evil to pass away from thy body; for childhood and the time when the head is black are vanity.