Ecclesiastes 11

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

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

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

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

3 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.

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.

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

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

5 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.

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.

6 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.

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.

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

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

8 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.

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.

9 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.

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.

10 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.

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