Ecclesiastes 11

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

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

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, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil 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 empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, 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 who observes the wind won’t sow; and he who regards the clouds won’t 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 you don’t know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don’t know the work of God who does 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 your seed, and in the evening don’t withhold your hand; for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both 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 a pleasant thing 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.

Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is 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, 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 that for all these things God will bring you 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!

Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.