Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.2 Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto 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 a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it 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 wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether 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 Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but 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 thy 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 youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11

Chapter 11

The Uncertainties of Life

1 Send your grain across the seas,
and in time, profits will flow back to you.t2 But divide your investments among many places,t
for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.

5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,t so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.

6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.

Advice for Young and Old

7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.

8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.
9 Young people,t it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.

10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.