Ecclesiastes 11

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

Cast your bread over running waters. For, after a long time, you shall find it again.

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

Give a portion to seven, and indeed even to eight. For you do not know what evil may be upon the earth in the future.

3 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.

If the clouds have been filled, they will pour forth rain upon the earth. If a tree falls to the south, or to the north, or to whatever direction it may fall, there it shall remain.

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

Whoever heeds the wind will not sow. And whoever considers the clouds will never reap.

5 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.

In the same manner that you do not know the way of the spirit, nor the way that bones are joined together in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the works of God, who is the Maker of all.

6 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.

In the morning, sow your seed, and in the evening, do not let your hand cease. For you do not know which of these may rise up, the one or the other. But if both rise up together, so much the better.

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

Light is pleasant, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun.

8 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.

If a man lives for many years, and if he has rejoiced in all of these, he must remember the many days of the dark times, which, when they will have arrived, will accuse the past of vanity.

9 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.

So then, rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart remain in what is good during the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart, and with the perception of your eyes. And know that, concerning all these things, God will bring you to judgment.

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

Remove anger from your heart, and set aside evil from your flesh. For youth and pleasure are empty.