< Ecclesiastes 11 >
1 Cast thy bread upon the face of the waters; for after many days wilt thou find it again.
Send forth your bread upon the face of the water: for you shall find it after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil may come upon the earth.—
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil there shall be upon the earth.
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 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.
4 He that watcheth the wind will not sow; and he that gazeth on the clouds will not reap.
He that observes the wind sows not; and he that looks at the clouds will not 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.
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.
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.
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.
7 Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun;
Moreover the light is sweet, and it is good for 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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for youth and folly are vanity.