Ecclesiastes 11

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

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

2 Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be 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, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.

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

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

5 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.

Amongst 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 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.

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 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.

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 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, 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 judgement.

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

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