Ecclesiastes 11

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

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

2 Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you do not know what evil will be on 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 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.

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 who observes the wind won't sow; and he who regards the clouds won't reap.

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

5 As you do not 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 do not know the work of God who does 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 your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they will both be equally 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 a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun.

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

8 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.

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, 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.

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

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