Ecclesiastes 11

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

Cast thy bread upon the running waters: for after a long time thou shalt find it again.

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

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon 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 be full, they will pour out rain upon the earth. If the tree fall to the south, or to the north, in what place soever it shall fall, there shall it be.

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

He that observeth the wind, shall not sow: and he that considereth the clouds, shall never reap.

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 thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones are joined together in the womb of her that is with child: so thou knowest not the works of God, who is the maker of 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 sow thy seed, and In the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring up, this or that: and if both together, it shall be the better.

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

The light is sweet, and it is delightful 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.

If a man live many years, and have rejoiced in them all, he must remember the darksome time, and the many days: which when they shall come, the things past shall be accused of vanity.

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.

Rejoice therefore, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart be in that which is good in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: and know that for all these God will bring thee into judgment.

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

Remove anger from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh. For youth and pleasure are vain.