Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.

2 Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.

If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty [themselves]; And if a tree doth fall in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falleth, there it is.

4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.

As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, How — bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole.

6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike [are] good.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

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

8 Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

But, if man liveth 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.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for youth and the prime of life are vanity.

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