Ecclesiastes 11

1 Sende thi breed on watris passynge forth, for aftir many tymes thou schalt fynde it.

Put out your bread on the face of the waters; for after a long time it will come back to you again.

2 Yyue thou partis seuene, and also eiyte; for thou woost not, what yuel schal come on erthe.

Give a part to seven or even to eight, because you have no knowledge of the evil which will be on the earth.

3 If cloudis ben filled, tho schulen schede out reyn on the erthe; if a tre fallith doun to the south, ether to the north, in what euer place it fallith doun, there it schal be.

If the clouds are full of rain, they send it down on the earth; and if a tree comes down to the south, or the north, in whatever place it comes down, there it will be.

4 He that aspieth the wynd, sowith not; and he that biholdith the cloudis, schal neuere repe.

He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.

5 As thou knowist not, which is the weye of the spirit, and bi what resoun boonys ben ioyned togidere in the wombe of a womman with childe, so thou knowist not the werkis of God, which is makere of alle thingis.

As you have no knowledge of the way of the wind, or of the growth of the bones in the body of her who is with child, even so you have no knowledge of the works of God who has made all.

6 Eerli sowe thi seed, and thin hond ceesse not in the euentid; for thou woost not, what schal come forth more, this ethir that; and if euer eithir cometh forth togidere, it schal be the betere.

In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that — or if the two will be equally good.

7 The liyt is sweet, and delitable to the iyen to se the sunne.

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

8 If a man lyueth many yeeris, and is glad in alle these, he owith to haue mynde of derk tyme, and of many daies; and whanne tho schulen come, thingis passid schulen be repreued of vanyte.

But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

9 Therfor, thou yonge man, be glad in thi yongthe, and thin herte be in good in the daies of thi yongthe, and go thou in the weies of thin herte, and in the biholdyng of thin iyen; and wite thou, that for alle these thingis God shal brynge thee in to doom.

Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

10 Do thou awei ire fro thin herte, and remoue thou malice fro thi fleisch; for whi yongthe and lust ben veyne thingis.

So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.