Ecclesiastes 11

1 Send out your bread on the waters, for you will find it again after many days.

Send forth your bread upon the face of the water: for you shall find it after many days.

2 Share it with seven, even eight people, for you do not know what disasters are coming on the earth.

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil there shall be upon the earth.

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, wherever the tree falls, there it will remain.

If the clouds be filled with rain, they pour [it] out upon the earth: and if a tree fall southward, or if it fall northward, in the place where the tree shall fall, there it shall be.

4 Anyone who watches the wind might not plant, and anyone who watches the clouds might not harvest.

He that observes the wind sows not; and he that looks at the clouds will not reap.

5 As you do not know the path of the wind, nor how a baby's bones grow in the pregnant womb, so also you cannot comprehend the work of God, who created everything.

Among whom none knows what is the way of the wind: as the bones [are hid] in the womb of a pregnant [woman], so you shall not know the works of God, [even] all things whatever he shall do.

6 In the morning plant your seed; until the evening, work with your hands as needed, for you know not which will prosper, whether morning or evening, or this or that, or whether they will both alike be good.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening let not your hand be slack: for you know not what sort shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both shall be good alike.

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

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

8 If someone lives many years, let him be happy in all of them, but let him think about the coming days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is vanishing vapor.

For even if a man should live many years, [and] rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

9 Take joy, young man, in your youth, and let your heart be joyful in the days of your youth. Pursue the good desires of your heart, and whatever is within the sight of your eyes. However, know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.

Rejoice, O 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 blameless, but not in the sight of your eyes: yet know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

10 Drive anger away from your heart, and ignore any pain in your body, because youth and its strength are vapor.

Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for youth and folly are vanity.