Ecclesiastes 11

Boldly Face the Future

1 Invest what you have, because after a while you will get a return.

2 Invest what you have in several different businesses, because you don’t know what disasters might happen.

3 If clouds are full of rain, they will shower on the earth.
A tree can fall to the north or south, but it will stay where it falls.

4 Those who wait for perfect weather will never plant seeds;
those who look at every cloud will never harvest crops.

5 You don’t know where the wind will blow, and you don’t know how a baby grows inside the mother.
In the same way, you don’t know what God is doing, or how he created everything.

6 Plant early in the morning, and work until evening,
because you don’t know if this or that will succeed. They might both do well.

Serve God While You Are Young

7 Sunshine is sweet; it is good to see the light of day.

8 People ought to enjoy every day of their lives, no matter how long they live.
But they should also remember this: You will be dead a long time. Everything that happens then is useless.

9 Young people, enjoy yourselves while you are young; be happy while you are young.
Do whatever your heart desires, whatever you want to do.
But remember that God will judge you for everything you do.
10 Don’t worry, and forget the troubles of your body, because youth and childhood are useless.

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.