Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.

2 Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.

3 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain upon the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.

4 He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap.

5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

6 Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.

8 So if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is futile.

9 Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. 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 to judgment.

10 So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.

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

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

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

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

5 As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

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

7 ¶ Truly the light [is] sweet, and a pleasant [thing it is] for the eyes to behold the sun:

8 But if a man live many years, [and] rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh [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.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.

1 Let thy bread pass over the waters, and thou shalt find it for a long time.

2 Divide from among seven, and from among eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall come upon the earth.

3 When the clouds are full, they give rain upon the earth: and when the tree falleth, let it fall toward the south, or toward the north, upon what place it falleth, there shall it lie.

4 He that looketh to the wind soweth not, and he that looketh to the clouds reapeth not.

5 As thou knowest not the way of the wind, and as the bones are prepared in the womb, so thou canst not know the work of God which he doeth everywhere.

6 Early see thy seed, and let not thine hand depart in the evening: for thou knowest not whether it be this or that: and if it be both, so much the better.

7 The light is sweet, and it is pleasant to the eyes to see the sun.

8 If a man live a long time, and be merry in all things, he remembereth but the evil days, that they are so many: for all that he hath met with is vain.