Ecclesiastes 11

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

Put out your bread on the face of the waters; for after a long time it will come back to you again.

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

Give a part to seven or even to eight, because you have no knowledge of the evil which will be on the earth.

3 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.

If the clouds are full of rain, they send it down on the earth; and if a tree comes down to the south, or the north, in whatever place it comes down, there it will be.

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

He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.

5 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.

As you have no knowledge of the way of the wind, or of the growth of the bones in the body of her who is with child, even so you have no knowledge of the works of God who has made all.

6 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.

In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that — or if the two will be equally good.

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

Truly the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

8 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.

But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

9 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.

Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

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

So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.